Soviet Union

[Maynard]

I don't know if this has been posted before, if it has, my apologies. Anyway, taken from Le Monde Diplomatique is this article.

http://mondediplo.com/2004/03/11russia


Particularly interesting is ". A leader writer has expressed concern that the Soviet Union still exists, that nostalgia for it seems to be the dominant mode (4). Polls by reputable institutes confirm this: 57% of Russians want the USSR back (2001); 45% consider the Soviet system better than the current system; 43% actually want a new Bolshevik revolution (2003). Opinions seem politically incorrect: the democratic revolution of August 1991 (5) has been discredited and there is widespread rejection - almost 80% - of large-scale "criminal" privatisations. "

Something I had little knowledge about but just something I thought I'd share. Any thoughts ?

[Fidel Castro]

I am not sure if we will ever see another Soviet Russia in the near future, the USSR went down the same slippery slope that China is on today, too reformist, especially under Gorbachev.

The Sovet Union collapsed from within, and I hope that Russian communists have learned the lessons of history.

[konev]

Lenin to is quite popular, at least 75% think he had a positive role in Russian history

[Hate Is Art]

The CCCP, really failed to show signs of progression towards communism after Lennin's death.

[Solace]

The CCCP, really failed to show signs of progression towards communism day one after the Revolution.

Lenin could have disappeared in the woods, we would have had the same shit.

[M_Rawlins]

Lenin's plans for the post revolutionary state as put forward in "The State and Revolution" (1917)

- Peoples Militia (no standing army)
- "Workmen's wages" for leading officials
- Universal suffrage
- "Direct" democracy
annual elections
recall of delegates
- Rotation of administrative tasks "All shall govern in turn and will soon become accustomed to no one governing"
- "We shall allow complete creative freedom for the masses"

The actuality in 1921:

- A regular army
- Secret police (Cheka - extraordinary commission for combating counter revolution and sabotage)
- Incorporation of unions
- Control of culture and education - complete censorship
- Control of soviets and people's committees
- Strong party with internal discipline - "democratic centralism"
- Nationalisation of industry

However:
- A constituent assembly WAS called, and the Bolsheviks came second (to the socialist revolutionaries) - Lenin ordered the CA to be shut down.
-"Workmen's wages" for leading officials was implemented and kept until 1934 (I think) when Stalin decided to get rid of it.
-At one point, workers were given control over the factories, however this was disatrous as they had no previous experiance of running them.

Although, when Lenin was dying he realised the problems with the Soviet State (expansion of bureaucracy, lack of workers in the party, the possibility of Stalin taking power etc.)

Also many of the problems the CCCP faced forced it into adopting such measures, e.g. if there had been no civil war (which included foreign intervention from the USA + Britain etc.), there would have been no need for War Communism.

[socialistfuture]

they had a big task...russia had to defeat the Tsar, defeat hitler, defeat japan, defend the revolution, survive the cold war (the might of US imperialism and most of the western world as lackies). Considering what they were up against..
There was a lot of bad but good to. A lot has been learnt.

Capitalism is doing Russia no good today, Privatisation, poverty, crime, and the oppression of chechnia (sorry no idea how to spell it). If communism were to return it would have to be democratic - no more state control over people... a peoples movement similar to the zapatistas.

[crazy comie]

The ussr needed more reforms but not the revesionist ones of gorbacheov. Also the reason for lenins actions where that they where in the middle of a civl war but they had no external help.

[Salvador Allende]

it all failed when Kruschov took over because Kruschov killed the ideaology of the country. Although, many argue that after Lenin died it all went to hell. In any event, you can't make political change without making economic change first which is the exact mistake Gorbachev made in his mistakes.

[crazy comie]

I think you need to make social change and economic change at the same time other wise you end up with beurocrates running the country.