Human Nature

[Ivan Denisovich]

Politicians create shitty conditions and then they're surprised that populace is not willing to bail them.

Who tolerated those politicians if not the people? Or more to the point, who created them? Who created those conditions if not the people who supported those politicians you castigate? It's not like politicians are bespoke people created out of whole cloth. They come from somewhere. Whence?

These politicians weren't chosen in elections. They couldn't have been with Russia being under thrall of tsar. One hardly can blame populace not used to self governing which characterizes modern world to act like they should be used to this. And even then not supporting Kerensky gov (that is gov responsible for disastrous so called Kerensky offensive and for staying in unpopular war) can hardly be deemed blameworthy without foreknowledge.

Apart from this specific case people do bear responsibility but politicians lie and there is not much that can be done after casting a vote. It's like situation in Poland now - among other things victorious coalition promised access to abortion. Bill that would provide barest minimum didn't even passed the Sejm (some say that president would have vetoed it. He would but that would hardly be a blame of anyone but him) but bill that suspend constitution (and which most certainly wasn't promised seeing as current gov was against mistreatment of migrants when it was in opposition) did pass. Now main coalition candidate is falling in the polls and of course politicians wonder why. Certainly not because they fucked up and did not provided things they promised. Having said that Poles are to blame for falling for right winger empty promises but still greater onus lies on those who deceive rather than on those who are deceived. It would be 60/40 or 55/45 of blame share though as at some point populace should fucking learn that liars don't suddenly stop lying.

I think both you and @The Grand Nudger are a lot closer in perspective than might seem apparent.

I disagree. We are worlds apart I think and similarities are superficial whereas differences are definitive (human nature as something or nothing).