The elites of China versus Russia

China moved away from communism in an orderly fashion; Russia moved away in a disorderly fashion. One might say the Chinese had an enlightened elite while the Russians had a peasant elite. Nobler values and a loftier vision informed the Chinese as they tried to shape their societies. The Russians didn't have a comparable venerable perspective. In the end, it mattered. The Russians tried to shift away from communism through the demand side while the Chinese elected the supply side. The Chinese were right and the Russians were wrong.