Sophie's Choice

Choosing between socialism and fascism is like choosing between death by lethal injection, or by guillotine.

Andrei Illarionov, [an] outspoken economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin [has] become increasingly critical of a return to inefficient state control of the economy has offered his resignation

He leans towards guillotine. But not for him, of course; government officials, especially economists, are always spared.

Illarionov, 44, a free-market economist who worked in the Russian government in the early 1990s . . . lambasted the effective nationalization of the Yukos oil empire of jailed tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky in 2004 as the "swindle of the year."

Who is Khodorkovsky?

"Russia's wealthiest man, [Khodorkovsky] made his first fortunes in banking."

Surprise, surprise.

What's the US position on Khodorkovsky? Let's just say they aren't thrilled.

Illarionov insists that "state corporations, [although] they are public in name and status, are managed above all for their own personal interests."

Last week, Russia's biggest carmaker, Avtovaz, elected a new board with top managers representing the state, cementing control of a key company after parallel moves to increase the state's hold on [energy].

Russia . . . now controls around 30 percent of the national oil industry.

In December 2004, the biggest oil fields [Yukos]. . . were transferred to the state to reclaim billions in disputed tax bills, and this year, the giant gas monopoly Gazprom bought the privately held OAO Sibneft oil company. [yikes! sounds like a mix of socialism AND fascism.]

Illarionov said last week that after state-owned [takeover of] Yukos' main subsidiary . . . the unit's revenues dropped and costs soared.

So, which do you prefer, lethal injection or guillotine?