Commentary Regardless of the results of the war in Ukraine, one outcome that is already unfolding is the rising isolationism in both Russia and China. Both find themselves increasingly isolated from much of the world–particularly with the West–to levels we haven’t seen in decades. Why is that? What does it mean for the near future? Though it’s not wise to draw firm conclusions from two distinct nations that share certain similarities, some similarities shouldn’t be ignored. The simple answer is that as authoritarian societies, neither can tolerate the criticism nor the political disruption that comes with free citizens voicing their opinion. Not surprisingly, the free flow of ideas and the right to privacy are largely non-existent in either one. That said, until recently, both Russia and China have been deeply connected to the West. But that is changing rapidly. A Tale of Two Economies In Russia’s case, its isolation has …