10 years on

[cullinane]

AFP. 5 December 2001. Russia's dashed hopes.

MOSCOW -- At a glance Russia has made remarkable progress in the 10
years since the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist on December 8,
1991, with individual freedom, democracy and a market economy apparently
taking root.

But look closer and the picture is less rosy -- a mixture of stagnation
and decline -- with nobody in Russia's political or economic elite
seemingly able to halt the downward slide that hastened the Soviet
Union's defeat in the Cold War.

The dawn of Russian democracy saw many pro-Yeltsin reformers nurturing
unrealistic hopes of an economic miracle that would have taken Russias
income per head above Spain's by 2010.

Devaluation, default and a banking collapse in August 1998 dispelled the
mood of optimism, and prompted much hand-wringing in the United States,
where Congress and the Clinton White House answered the question "Who
lost Russia?" with a bout of finger-pointing.

Some economists look wistfully westwards, acknowledging that even to
match the prosperity of the European Unions poorer members such as
Greece and Portugal, Russia needs to grow by eight percent a year for
the next 15 years.

"The current numbers give a rather good impression. But compared to
1991, we are 10 or 20 years behind," argues Oleg Bogomolov, an economist
at Russias Academy of Sciences.

Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2001 is almost 30 percent down from
where it was in 1992, while industrial output has fallen by 35 percent,
and capital investment by 70 percent, while nearly one Russian in three
has to get by on less than the basic minimum.

In the political arena, doom-mongers point to the costly and
debilitating war in Chechnya -- the second in a decade -- and the
Kremlin's clumsy attempts to clamp down on press freedom as evidence
that Soviet strongarm tactics are still highly regarded by Russia's
masters.

Significantly, Putin the ex-KGB spy reinstated the Soviet anthem last
year in a bid to appease the millions of Russians who still hanker for
old certainties as opposed to the more blustery atmosphere of
post-Communist pluralism.

The sad state of its once-proud army remains one of Russia's weakest
links 10 years on, and few here agree about how to fix a force that
nowadays scares its allies as well as its enemies, for all the wrong
reasons.

The sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in August 2000 was only the
most painful reminder that much of Russia's military and civilian
infrastructure is leaking and rusting and rotting.

Already widespread in the Soviet Union, corruption has poisoned most
areas of Russian life, while ordinary citizens have witnessed a
terrifying explosion of criminality and contract killing.

Murder aside, Russians risk quite simply dying out, due to the collapse
of the birthrate and rising mortality levels caused by their
cigarette-smoking, vodka-swilling lifestyles that are further endangered
by an exponential increase in tuberculosis and AIDS.

Experts have warned of a "demographic disaster" amid talk of the
population falling from its current 145 million to 55 million by 2075.

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

Fuck Gorbachew

[revolutionary spirit]

lol fidel

[Red Star]

I'll have to agree with you cullinane, Capitalism hasn't done Russia the wonders it was supposed to. I think because the people were communist for so long there afraid to be entrepreneours and start new businesses. I'm sure also that start up costs are prohibitive and not many banks are willing to give out loans.

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

I don't think so...community for russians is everything...and now they try to make animals of us...like americans...dammit i hate this idea

[Chancho]

Is it 'capitalism' that Russia has now? ... or the imposition of a pseudo 'free market' without the capital, production, market or consumer confidence necessary to kick start the capitalist machine. The crisis may be more with the national psyche than with the economic conditions - after all, capitalism requires people to 'believe' in order for it to gain momentum. Why should any Russian have faith in any economic promises?

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

Crap hate capitalism...people in Far East suffer from these capitalist fatasses...shoot them all...Russia needs a new dictator,maybe new Stalin

[Kez]

It wasnt Gorbachovs fault the people of the USSR were fucking idiots.
Its pretty funny, Gorbachov rightfully started reforms slowly, then idiot nationalist decided to rush things
1991=people were doing well in life
1992=people sitting round a fire in the road

COMRADE KAMO

[Anonymous]

Crap hate capitalism...people in Far East suffer from these capitalist fatasses...shoot them all...Russia needs a new dictator,maybe new Stalin

i REALLY dont think so....

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

70% of russians think so,and i'm with them...

[Moskitto]

Acording to our history teacher, Fidel's right.

A recent survey of who Russians thought was the Russian of the Century, Lenin came out as No 1 and Stalin was 2nd

[El Commandante]

Also membership to the communist party is at it's highest for nearly fifteen years, looks like the people aren't happy with the changes that have been made.

[Kez]

Imagine the russians voting the commies in
how amzing that day shall be
i will crack open the finest bottle of champagne-ooops i mean vodka, and drink to the revolution

*holds up now empty bottle of vodka, and shouts "LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION"

comrade kamo

[El Commandante]

That would be amazing, one in the eye for the Yankees. It was be so good to see the look on their faces, and this time it would probably work because it would have a larger base of support.

(Edited by El Commandante at 10:19 pm on Dec. 9, 2001)

[Rob]

Also, a UNICEF report stated that something like of all the children who've died in the past 10 years, 25% would have been preventable.

[CommieBastard]

plus they might learn from the mistakes of the last time...

[El Commandante]

Definately, they may get an opportunity that many other's wouldn't get. Also the American's would have difficulty objecting it because of it's diplomatic nature. It would be going against their own believes because it would be what the people wanted. Not that it has ever stopped them before, but if it were to happen then it could be a hinderance to the Americans.

[rebel with a cause]

They need a Stalin-like figure for the mere presence, with the combination of Lenin's mind.

[revolutionary spirit]

don't support some regieme just because it would be anti american because u have the same line of thinking as America in their foreign affairs.

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

i would vote for communists...when i could and if they would be real communists(not ideal,but commies)
Germans had made a step to new GDR or not???so i'll hope Russia will do...i think that Yeltsen cheated...and Zjuganov won the votings...but noone would say that :)

[libereco]

Quote: from Fidel Castro Ruz on 2:27 pm on Dec. 9, 2001
Crap hate capitalism...people in Far East suffer from these capitalist fatasses...shoot them all...Russia needs a new dictator,maybe new Stalin


that sounds so very...facist.

dictators are always sooo good to their people.

[Kez]

*Comrades, lets drink a toast, a toast to the success of zuganov*

Fuck it would be so fukking amazing to have a democratically elected communist leader of the greatest nation on earth.
POWER TO THE SOVIETS

the americans would probably fund millions into the right wing media in russia if the commies won, but then the people would burn the media bull shitters, then sing the internationale, then we would rejoice, for the the new era of communism

hurah!
comrade kamo

[Fidel Castro Ruz]

Yeah!!!yeah yeah yeah!!!Crush,Destroy,Burn!!!
democraticaly elected communist...sounds GREAT!!!

[jimr]

I fear today there are no leaders among us capable of leading a truly communist government. Absolute power corrupts absolutly, or whatever. Russia would need to be very united, and progress wouldn'y come quickly, seeing, it is unliklely the populus are pro-communist as against teh current state of affairs in Russia. It would happen again, and sadly Russia will fail in its bid for communism, as much as i would love it to succeed.

Communism needs to prosper in some small country, and spread quietly, instead of quickly. However, it is unlikly that teh Americans will allow a communist state teh oppertunity to succeed, like cuba, trade sanctions would be imposed, the US would pressure its Allies to cut diplomatic relations and once again my dream, as a thousand others, would fail.

This realisation makes me truly sad.

[Capitalist]

Russia has corrupt Capitalism.

The mafia runs everything and threatens all competition.

The problem is not capitalism.

The problem is the mafia.

The mafia corrupts the Capatilisitc System, the same way a political party can corrupt the Democratic Process. They both eliminate competitors.

[Kez]

I dont believe that the USA would be a arsehole again to put sanctions on another nation for reasons of ideology, it wouldnt dare.
I hope they do, so then we would go apeshit and smash up american imperialism for once and for all!
TOWARDS VICTORY!

comrade kamo

[Capitalist]

Cuba has open trade with everyone (Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico, Africa, Canada), but the United States.

Why should open trade with one more country matter?

Will ending the blockade really bring change to Cuba?

China has open trade with the United States.

China's human rights are the worst in the world. China is the greatest exporter of slave labor. American slave labor exporter = China.

The problem is not the American Blockade, Capitalism, or Democracy.

The problem is Communism and Dictatorship.

Besides - Castro and Che Guevara wanted to exterminate American Influence from Cuba in the first place. Why does Fidel want our blockade to end? He should be happy with the American Blockade. If he hates America so much - why does he want our George Washington Dollar Bills? - because his Che Guevara dollar bills are so worthless.

To be honest I'd like to see the Blockade end too.

I'd be the first American to travel to Cuba and spread the word of Democracy and Capitalism.

I'll probably be the first American Tourist to get shot too.

[El Commandante]

The Cubans may not want to trade with the Americans, but the major resources that they sell, fruit, sugar cane, tobacco, are commodities that the American's bought in huge quantities from them before the revolution. They didn't have to go looking for a new market. When the embargo was enforced they just sold the stuff to the USSR. But now that it is gone they have no market.

They have to form another one but it is difficult, the American's say "trade with us, or trade with them, you can't have both". And because the U$A has such an influence they choose the Americans and the Cubans are left with nothing. That is why the embargo needs to be ended.

[Kez]

idiot
my respect for u has gone
ll
ll
ll
ll
v
castro wants trade with USA, so u fat yanks can buy sugar , cigars and the rest, so u can shove cuban cigars up secretary and singe them, damn u clinton

comrade kamo
more trade=more wealth for people simple, u fucking idiot

[Capitalist]

More Cuban Trade = Wealth for Americans and Wealth for Fidel Castro and Communist Party Members.

No advantage to the enslaved Cuban people.

[Capitalist]

If America ends the blockade with Cuba.

Fidel Castro will add the United States to his list of clients.

America will add Cubans, along with Chinese, to their list of present slaves.

[Moskitto]

Erm, Let me think

http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/juice/index.html

Why is this FAIRTRADE Orange Juice, Grown in Cuba when Cuba is a slave labour camp owned by Fidel Castro. How is this possible?

Precisely. Cuba isn't 11 million slaves living on an island own by Fidel. Because a fairtrade organization imports fair trade orange juice from there.

Oh and before you ask, the Ethical Trading Standards are.


Ethical trade
The term "ethical trade" is now most commonly used to refer to the work of the ETI. This is a partnership of high street companies, non-governmental organisations (including Traidcraft Exchange, Christian Aid, Oxfam, CAFOD, the Fairtrade Foundation and others) and trades unions, with support from the government. ETI's aim is to ensure that internationally recognised labour standards, in particular fundamental human rights in the workplace, are observed at all stages in the production of high street goods sold in the UK. ETI's work is based on standards laid down in Conventions agreed under the International Labour Organisation, which have the force of international law. These standards are:

Employment is freely chosen: no forced or bonded labour is allowed
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected: workers can form trade unions and other organisations to represent them
Working conditions are safe and hygienic
No child labour is allowed
Living wages are paid to all workers
Working hours are not excessive
No discrimination is practised in any working conditions on the basis of race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation
Regular employment is provided, through formal contracts
No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed: workers must not be physically, sexually or verbally abused or intimidated.
The ETI is promoting the implementation of codes of conduct embodying these standards, backed up by monitoring and independent verification to give confidence to the consumer.

(Edited by Moskitto at 11:21 pm on Dec. 10, 2001)

[Markxs]

Russia has corrupt Capitalism.

there is no such thing as working capitalism because it only works for the rich
The mafia runs everything and threatens all competition.
the competition leads to greed and that leads to crime so why are you seeing a difference
The problem is not capitalism.
no its not the inequality capitalism promotes that makes ppl do drugs or sell there bodies, thats waht you say you have no reason to say it do you?
The problem is the mafia.
yes i agree which is casued and funded by capitalism
The mafia corrupts the Capatilisitc System, the same way a political party can corrupt the Democratic Process. They both eliminate competitors.
democracy is a fascist lie, when 10 ppl think someting 1000 others suffer. ( US think something africa asia south america suffer)
competition is never a base for equality it leads to crimes to killing your mother for cash. and indeed in countries that are on the bad side of the coin like us this happens. it happens way less outside america cause real poor ppl might steal bread and real rich ppl steal all they can