Think about this

[Imperial Power]

Why is it Russia has the highest alcoholism rate in the world? Because of Communism. Why because of Communism? Because when people are depressed and have nothing to live for they start drinking. Vodka was the only thing that was sure to be in high supply in the old U.S.S.R. The Governemnt used it to keep the people complacent. Communism can thank Vodka for surving as long as it did in Russia.

[Rob]

What the hell are you talking about? First off, the Soviet Union wasn't anywhere near communist. Second, people drink becuase they're depressed everywhere, not just Russia. Alcohol, as well as almost every other opiate ever, has been forced upon opressed people everywhere, not just the Soviet Union. Just look at crack in the U$A. The abundance of vodka in Russia just made it easier for the goverment.

[Nickademus]

you're right rob. russia may have the highest alcohol problem but the US probably has the highest drug problem. why is that imperial power? the US has never been communist or even close to left wing. i guess that blows your theory completely out of water.

true russia, in its communist appearing state had problems. but the us has problems in its capitalist state as well. obviously none of the systems we have had in existence work. (actually i'm not so sure that's extirely true -- i feel many native communities in north america worked quite well and were very communistic/solicialistic). anyway i'm ranting. but your theory is falible.

[Jurhael]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! BWHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!

So I guess when Russia was a feudalist power with a 97% poverty rate, people were perfectly sober.

[Nickademus]

excellent point.

[Imperial Power]

1) Vodka is not an opiate, it is alcohol. Opiates are derived from poppies grown in such countries as Afghanistan and former Soviet territoties.

2) Alcohol is not illegal, drugs are.

3) Crack is made from cocaine which is a completly different family of drugs called accelerents.


3) Yes more drugs are trafficked into the United States because its a capitalist society which means people have money to spend. In the USSR there was smuggling but not as much becasue no one had the cash. The US supports 160 billion dollars of illegal trade per year and that was in 1990. Not that its a good thing but no where else in the world can drug dealers make that kind of money. So thats why we have more drugs, simple economics.


4) If you want to talk substance abuse, Russia is still higher per capita.


Finally my theory is correct Alcohol was used to keep the Soviet population complacent with their hard lives with no hopes of self advancement.

[DaNatural]

sorta like how the usa keeps minorities out of politics? by filling the streets with drugs, to be sold or to be abused. Its the same thing, I.Pow, you are pathetic and your cheap statements hold no weight, do some research before you try to spill knowledge. peace

[Imperial Power]

Danatural your the only pathetic thing here. My statements are sound, I've researched Drug Trafficking. But it's typical of commies not to believe fact. And as for the poor selling drugs there kept there by socialist programs that keep them from ever having to succed. Pitiful really but what can you expect from simple socialist minds.

[DaNatural]

imperial already you've commited a fatal flaw when arguing, youve used an ad hominen. YOu just cant argue without calling me names can u? Its shows the inferiority of your argument and of the esteem which you hold about your comments and beleifs. Before you start stereotyping and calling us names find out about us before refering to us as idiots.

[El Che]

gee imperial power what clever arguements!

[Jurhael]

"But it's typical of commies not to believe fact. "

Gee...kind of like Capitalists.

And the fact that you blame Social Programs for poverty and drugs is flat out PATHETIC! Not every drug/alcholol user is poor and not all of them live in "socialist" countries. Russia is no longer Communist and yet I bet there's STILL a lot of Vodka theree. Communist or not, it's part of their culture. And did I mention that the use of alcohol does not an alcoholic make?

Anyway. Welfare HALVED the poverty rate in the US.

You eliminate Social Programs and all you'll do is create more poor people. But, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you'd be all for the elimination of social programs. You probably want an economy similar to a third world country where MANY people are poor while those who were already wealthy prosper greatly.

And those world countries...they're capitalist for the most part.

[red head]

and even if your statistics are true, what about other socialist countries, namely china, where drug problems were virtually erradicated, only to come back with the re-introduction of capitalism?

[booga]

Quote: from Nickademus on 3:40 am on Jan. 7, 2002
but the us has problems in its capitalist state as well. obviously none of the systems we have had in existence work. (actually i'm not so sure that's extirely true -- i feel many native communities in north america worked quite well and were very communistic/solicialistic). anyway i'm ranting. but your theory is falible.


nika, what do you mean when you say native communities work well under communistic & socialistic hand? that doesnt appear to be true in my perspective. in fact it was the Cherokee nation who had established its own communities with churches, schools and organizations and so forth yet i have not heard that it was communist or socialist.

as far as the reservations go...hmm im not quite sure what i think of the one i frequently visit but i feel the tribal head is not doing his people a complete justice at this time. (my opinion tho)

thats another thing...we can try and change the world for the better all we like but there will always be that small population that is drug addicted that must be delt with because no matter what establishment they live in for some reason they just have a hard time in any society.

[Son of Scargill]

I.P.,I think you'll find that northern Russia,Finland,Norway,Sweden,Scotland,Faeroe Isles,Iceland,Greenland,northern Canada and north Alaska all have major problems with alcohol abuse.Is this because of communism,or the fact that it's cold and dark for a lot of the time,with not much else to do,other than drink?"Hey folks,it's -30 outside,let's go play baseball."
As Jurhael says,it is more of a cultural problem than a political one.Russia is huge,with vast areas of artic and sub-artic tundra,swamplands,steppes and mountainous regions.I'm not suprised it has the most alcoholics there.Think yourself lucky you were born in a mainly temporate region,but don't knock people who have to live with a much harder lifestyle than yours.
You also say that vodka was used to keep people complacent,implying that the system drugged its populace to control it.Later you say"Alcohol is not illegal,drugs are." as though vodka is not a drug(which it is).Can you make up your mind please.

While you're at it,can you explain how communism is to blame for Japan having the highest suicide rate in the world.Or is that just a cultural thing,and nothing to do with capitalism?



(Edited by Son of Scargill at 9:05 pm on Jan. 7, 2002)

[Nickademus]

booga. what i mean is that aboriginal communities in their pre-contact form were very communistic/socialistic. not the communities today. today they are faced with too many other issues and returning to their lives in days of old is impossible. i was not referring to aboriginal communities of today.

son of scargill just thought you might find this interesting . . i did. a large part of the alcohol problem in canada is aboriginal peoples (including the inuit -- those who live in northern canada). and i'm not being stereotypical or racist, its truthful. but there is a genetic reason for that . . . they are missing a chromosone which allows them to digest alcohol properly. weird huh? i never thought of the possibility of alcoholism being due to a genetic thing i always assumed it was 'learned' behaviour

[Son of Scargill]

Funny you should say that,I caught the end of a programme a few days ago,and it was saying the same thing about far east asians(don't know much about anthropology,but I think the Inuit came from the far east originally).They had 2 doctors,one chinese,the other british.After 1 pint of beer the chinese doctor was almost legless.Yes,very interesting,I just wish I'd seen the whole programme.

[Derar]

Well ......my opinion is that if imperial power or any capitalist comes to the board and argues with intelligent arguments , that makes sense atleast and without calling names or offending anyone ..... that would be ok ........ but other than that ...... i call it spam ! and spammers should be fucked, blocked and kicked out .

[RedCeltic]

The fact is IP that Russia has always had an alcoholic problem... as SOS said.. it has to do with it being a nordic region.

[Moskitto]

2) Alcohol is not illegal, drugs are.

does it matter?

anyway the term "drugs" and "alcohol" being used seperately is foolish, if "drugs" are illegal then so alcohol, caffiene, paracetamol, asprin... A more suitable term would be illegal drugs.

Anyway because crack is illegal and alcohol isn't it shows that people are so depressed they need to take risks getting hold of illegal substances in America rather than just getting legal substances like in Russia.

Eitherway, it's been 10 years since the USSR fell. If capitalism is so wonderful wouldn't everything become so much better and all the alcoholics can just get rehab?

[Rob]

ok imperial power, this definition is taken directly form the Oxford American Dictionary "a thing that soothes the feelings or dulls the senses"