Russian Citizens, better off during or post soviet russia

[Catillina]

Was the russian population better of now, or during the russian soviet socialism? I mean only on an economical point of view, and without consedering the oligarchs.

Thank you comrades

Catilina

[RED LAND]

My Grandmother lives in St Petersburg, she said it was a lot better off during the Soviet era.

[Psy]

During the Soviet era, in the Soviet era people were upset about delays in getting goods now they can't afford them.

[Raven of Odin]

My family lived in the Soviet Union and literally every single one agrees that life under those "oppressive, devil-worshiping commies" was much better than life in the fake capitalist democracies that can be seen today. Look at Central Asia, Russia, and the Caucasus as prime examples and how the state actually became even more oppressive, and yet the media makes it look as life has improved. Which of course is total cow-poo:rolleyes:

[Proletarian Ultra]

A Hungarian joke:

A woman wakes up one morning. She rushes to the medicine cabinet, peeks in; rushes to the window, opens it up and looks out over the street; rushes into the kitchen, opens the refrigerator and heaves a sigh of relief.

Her husband asks "Why did you do that?"

She says, "I had a terrible nightmare last night. I dreamt we had all the medication we needed in the medicine cabinet, the streets weren't full of trash, and there was enough food in the refrigerator."

"How's that a nightmare?"

"The communists were back in power."

[Proletarian Ultra]

My family lived in the Soviet Union and literally every single one agrees that life under those "oppressive, devil-worshiping commies" was much better than life in the fake capitalist democracies that can be seen today. Look at Central Asia, Russia, and the Caucasus as prime examples and how the state actually became even more oppressive, and yet the media makes it look as life has improved. Which of course is total cow-poo:rolleyes:

Few months ago one of the prestige liberal papers (NY Times or Wa. Post, I forget which) ran a photo of farming in Armenia. A couple used to be members of a collective farm where all the plowing was done by tractor. Now the guy ties his wife to a wooden plow like she was an ox. I'll post it if I can find it.

[Arlekino]

I grow up in Soviet Union country of Lithuania the question do was better or worse it was? I would say it was better society yes we don't had some gods or shine shoes, but we had good communities, for example my parents are deaf, them communities with 15 countries was absolutely did well it was provided with good travel holidays she met good friends from Soviet Union we used had many guest from all Soviet Union. As myself I had good education, sport was played important part of our lives. The media propaganda I would say was much better. The peasant life was good almost every collective village had culture centers, schools, libraries. There is another should I would add: job places was more better we don't work that hard. Well of course it was not perfect society but comparing now with capitalism I look back on Soviet Times with huge nostalgia.
If anybody got questions about ordinary life of Soviet Union glad to answer.
.

[it_ain't_me]

http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2009/10/NewsweekRussia-full-2009-10-12.jpg

[maskerade]

I read in another thread here that approximately 7 million people have died since the fall of the USSR, and that life expectancy has dropped from 68 to 58. I'm to tired to look it up now, but it's out there somewhere.

The communist party in Russia is currently the second biggest, and considering the hegemony of United Russia and Putin, this is somewhat of an acheivment; in many university courses that study Russia's politics this is dismissed as simple "nostalgia", but I think that's ridiculous: people had it better before and they are voicing their concerns through the means that they have, ie the very weak pretend democarcy Russia has today.

The communist party is also maing a comeback in the Czech republic, who would have thought?

edit: wrote from 58 to 68 instead of 68 to 58 :p

[it_ain't_me]

The communist party is also maing a comeback in the Czech republic, who would have thought?

i don't see why not. the bulk of czechs never wanted to get rid of their communist party. they just supported the reformists within it who promised to establish ''socialism with a human face''. arguably, because their model of communism never got tried (due to its being cut short by the soviet intervention), it was not *their* model of communism which collapsed in 1989. therefore they might even be more likely than other former warsaw pact countries to see a turn towards communism as a reasonable thing to try in 2010, in the face of globalized capitalist economic depression. in their national history there exists a vision for socialism which hasn't been tried yet.

[maskerade]

i don't see why not. the bulk of czechs never wanted to get rid of their communist party. they just supported the reformists within it who promised to establish ''socialism with a human face''. arguably, because their model of communism never got tried (due to its being cut short by the soviet intervention), it was not *their* model of communism which collapsed in 1989. therefore they might even be more likely than other former warsaw pact countries to see a turn towards communism as a reasonable thing to try in 2010, in the face of globalized capitalist economic depression. in their national history there exists a vision for socialism which hasn't been tried yet.

Ah, I see. To be honest I know almost nothing about Czech socialism/communism, just assumed that they hated it due to Soviet invasion. But thanks for the enlightenment!

[Chimurenga.]

jeK6spOIVro

This documentary is worth the watch.

[Tavarisch_Mike]

@ Rasyte; How was the atmosphere in you community where you lived and the feelings towards ethnic russians ive heard that during the time when the Baltic states where part of the Soviet Union there was a sort of racism against russians.
And finally howa was the agricultural collectives organized?

[The Ben G]

I believe that Russia has taken a 90 degree plummet since the USSR dissolved.

[ComradeOm]

This documentary is worth the watch.At the risk of making a pointless post, I'll second this. Its pretty good

[AK]

Even as an anarchist, I have to agree; life in the USSR was much better for the working class than life under this current capitalist system. If I recall correctly, utilities (power, water, etc.) were free and many goods were much cheaper than now. Quite a lot of ex-Soviet citizens can't afford to pay for basic utilities now that they've nearly all been privatised.

[Arlekino]

From my own experience about racism towards Russian population well it was actual some misunderstandings for example most of Lithuanians demanded for Russian population to speak Lithuanian, Latvian or Estonian languages but there was issues, many of military staff took advantage of situations there is no point to learn our languages because we could speak Russian which we learned at schools and it was in fact many times of small verbal abused on Russian people and as well on Polish population. The worse happened when Soviet Union collapsed the lot of mix marriage went down, as gave more freedom of such as religious propaganda people become more nationalistic and of course fascist is not very nice and is nothing to proud of about that. For example I know many friends was had mix marriages had hard times still does.

About Agriculture well I used many times went in villages worked in collective farms I tell you honest it was lot of wasted resources but it was easy job, the management was not too hard on people but yes people take advantage it was lot of drunkenness. Collective farm workers always had extra pay for more their do work, even government encourages young people to stay in farms it was provided houses for them. Of course bureaucrats had better things which we are always jealous about that. They had better houses, better cars. The peasants who owned little land selling vegetables life stock in markets it was good fun.
One interesting thing I remember in farms office was one room calling “RED ROOM” with communist propaganda it was meetings how much grain taken, how much milk was taken, which I was attended as myself being young communist it would calling “Komsomol”.

I wish to point on Army which was compulsory for two years and in navy was three years in those times the first year soldiers are bully very hard few did suicide could not cope but another side of story boys came back from Army as big man with good discipline.

The is dark side of Soviet Union corruption which still does in freedom of Baltic States.

I asked many older population which society better now freedom or Soviet Union the answer better Soviet Union.

[Dimentio]

In terms of the total GDP, Russia today has probably higher GDP per capita than the former RFSR, but that is probably inflated by the amount of dollar billionaires in Russia, which is higher than in any other European country.

If a village has 101 inhabitants, 100 of them earn 500$ per year and the last one earns 50 000$ a year, then the GDP/capita would be 990,1$ .

[Blake's Baby]

As someone implacably opposed to the USSR as state capitalist, imperialist and authoritarian (vaery much the same reasons Alpha Kappa is opposed I suspect), I have to agree that, from my research anyway, material conditions for the majority of the population were probably better under the USSR.

[farleft]

A Hungarian joke:

A woman wakes up one morning. She rushes to the medicine cabinet, peeks in; rushes to the window, opens it up and looks out over the street; rushes into the kitchen, opens the refrigerator and heaves a sigh of relief.

Her husband asks "Why did you do that?"

She says, "I had a terrible nightmare last night. I dreamt we had all the medication we needed in the medicine cabinet, the streets weren't full of trash, and there was enough food in the refrigerator."

"How's that a nightmare?"

"The communists were back in power."


Classic! :)