What is the fundamental difference between Russia and the US?

Down in the US they pave roads using cast reinforced concrete. They make a 40cm layer of sand and put a cast reinforced concrete slab on top of it. And that’s it. Want to drive a tank? Go ahead. Want to land a plane? Please do. The need to repair such a road never arises.

Here in Russia, however, they make a 2-meter layer of sand, and then they add 30 more centimeters of crushed stone, whereafter goes the asphalt itself. And then they repair it. Regularly. And while they are busy with repairing, we all experience inconveniences. Because driving down the potholes is not a particularly pleasant activity.

Haven’t they heard of the American experience? They sure have. Then why wouldn’t they pave roads using cast reinforced concrete?

See, the thing is, in that case it would be impossible to sound credible while telling anybody that you’ve spent such enormous amount of money on repairing a cast reinforced concrete. No one would believe that. Not even slightly.

Whereas with the regular type of road you can ‘spend’ the budget every year. And steal. And steal.

The takeaway is that bureaucracy will always be building only what requires regular repairs.

Which means it will never produce anything that people really need.