Exactly.

Norway's model will not work here. It was discussed over and over here.
Norway's population is 5 million people, Russia's - 143 millions (google's data).
Norway's territory is compact, thus administration is easy and much more effective. Don't forget it's location.

Well, yeah, of course, but those things can be a difficult goal, and take a long time.

Look at France : It took us nearly a century (1789 - 1870) after our Revolution to get to a somewhat stable democracy. And those were bloody years, rife with warfare (both internal and external), return of the old masters (Monarchy came back to power twice), 2 bloody handed populist dictators (both Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew, Napoleon III, were wildly popular), and several aborted regimes...
And even then, the 3rd Republic (1870 - 1940) was far from perfect.

Building a democracy is a complicated affair.

Prior to the independence of Belgium, it was either part of Netherlands or France, depending on the international situation through History.

I say "real" socialism as while we have a lot of advantages (most of medical care is nearly free, good social welfare, cheap colleges/university, etc.), it clashes with the economy. You're a boss and wanna hire somebody? You'll have to pay the equivalent of around the monthly salary in monthly taxes. You wanna start a LLC (to avoid personal liabilities)? You'll have to pay 18.500 euros just to establish it. No wonder a third of our jobs is in the public sector :o)

There is enough material to write a book about it but the TLDR is that pure socialism without any regards to economy just leaves a poor territory with no prosperous future. It's common knowledge that if Wallonia were to get its independence, it would quickly end up like Greece. So, the trade-off for you as an American would be getting into a "lack of perspectives" paradigm. It's a bit like between living in Detroit or Los Angeles: you can be poor in both but you'll have more opportunities to improve your situation in the latest.

PS: Look at the map in this article, even the recent refugees don't want to stay in Wallonia :o)
http://www.laprovince.be/1709545/article/2016-11-03/de-plus-en-plus-de-refugies-quittent-la-wallonie-pour-rejoindre-la-flandre

Was it worth it?

Well, I'm a rabid anticlerical republican (in the French "down with the nobility and with the Church" sense, not the American one), I come from a humble peasant family, and I was born 1 full century AFTER the "bloody mess" part. And I kinda love my country, despite all its faults. So I'll obviously reply "sure, it was worth the trouble"

Not sure the guys who died during Napoleon's conquests or during the Vendée civil war (also know as "the Hell Legions war") would agree with me, though.

Rand Paul is vastly preferable to Trump, but he had no chance because he's a serious threat to high finance and doesn't stoop to demagoguery.

I think a lot of people saw two stinkers, one where you knew exactly what you'd be getting, and another that was something of a wild-card -- and they also felt that they didn't have a great deal to lose. And I think it's rather foolish to assume that they're mistaken.

That was actually a great post.

Stalin or Hitler, Elmo, not Stalin or Trotsky. o.O

Yep, history with "Russia's best friend" Boris Johnson might repeat.
I hope it won't. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Fat chance. Would you be willing to take a bet about that? I guess that Trump will just play nicely with his millionaire buddies. They won't change a single thing but blame someone else. You'll see.

HA! Italy is still on the world's political avant-guarde! We starterd Berlusconism way sooner than Trump! /s

Seriously, though: if I ever hear an American joking about Italians and how stupid they were to vote a sex-addicted, bankrupter homophobe and chauvinist demagogue I'm gonna kick their ass. Hard. Like, Duke Nukem hard.

Are you a Trotsky sympathizer?
Well your nation did created Machiavellian politics.

I wonder what its like living in Renissance Italy during that time.

Open your eyes!

https://www.rt.com/news/365966-putin-trump-congratulates-victory/

That lady Hilary, best friend of former diplomat Albright (remember those "lovely" uranium bombs in Kossovo, fool?), is sent home, the worst has been averted already! Put your labels where the sun doesn't shine! And do take something to calm down and shoo headache! Cheers!

Its HITLERS FAULT!!!!!!!!!!