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Inverse Icarus is offline Inverse Icarus
Emperor
flying too low to the ground
May 2001
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:13 Visit Inverse Icarus's homepage!
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Is Russia really any better with Democracy/Capitialism? Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

I'd like to see honest statistics if anybody has them.

From my somewhat limited knowledge of world history, Russia never really was as powerful as it was under Communism. I've read about all the "enlightened despots" and whatnot, but Russia always seems to be playing "catchup" with Western powers, even when it was Communist.

Was Russia ever the main power in the world? Did they ever achive the same levels of power that they had under Communism? What are the differences in standards of living?

I don't want this to turn into yet another Communism/Capitialism debate, but I'll be listening to both sides. As said before, I'd really like to see statistics.

edit: also, links to sources would rock.

mrmitchell is offline mrmitchell
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Sep 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:19
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During the Cold War, I would call Russia, in parts, the leader in power.

However, geography (as many neighbors to be nice with), and environment (lots of Russia is just frozen unfarmable wasteland at least in the winter ) works against them. Plus vodka. Vodka is the greatest productivity loss to hit Russia since the cold.

But you couldn't say Communism was good for Russia, because it wasn't technically Communism--it was more of a brutal and oppressive, but industrialized, dictatorship.

Inverse Icarus is offline Inverse Icarus
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flying too low to the ground
May 2001
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:32 Visit Inverse Icarus's homepage!
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Got spare money?

I'm well aware of all the possible explinations of why the USSR failed, and I give many of them much merit, but that is another discussion entirely. I simply want to know if at any point in history, was Russia "better" than it was during the Communist rule.

JohnT is offline JohnT

Emperor
Capitalist
Mar 1999
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:39
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No, for their influence spanned the globe for the first time in its history.

PLATO is offline PLATO

King
Of the occupied South
Dec 2002
time: 23:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:41
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http://fpeng.peopledaily.com.cn/200...0211_62060.html

http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2004/01/22/51978.html

http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2004/02/24/52455.html


It appears that the initial effects were pretty bad, but that the long term aspect looks good.

However, your original question does not address the human benefit of freedom.

JohnT is offline JohnT

Emperor
Capitalist
Mar 1999
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 06:44
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He's a communist. There is no benefit to freedom.

Agathon is offline Agathon
Prince
Leafs 4TW!! - CPA
Dec 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 07:20
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If only you lived in a free country, JohnT.

I mean one which doesn't lock people up for selling sex toys.

JohnT is offline JohnT

Emperor
Capitalist
Mar 1999
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 07:36
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Sheit, with my wife it's not like I'd ever find out if that were the case.

ErikM is offline ErikM
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Nov 2003
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 07:49
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Catherine the Great - Alexander I period comes close.
After Napoleonic wars, well, Russia probably was not #1 power but one of top three powers for sure and probably a premier continental power.

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 07:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Uber KruX
I simply want to know if at any point in history, was Russia "better" than it was during the Communist rule.


No.

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Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 07:58
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quote:
Originally posted by ErikM
Catherine the Great - Alexander I period comes close.
After Napoleonic wars, well, Russia probably was not #1 power but one of top three powers for sure and probably a premier continental power.


Peter the Great kicked some arses as well.

ErikM is offline ErikM
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Nov 2003
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 08:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Peter the Great kicked some arses as well.

He did, but Russia under Peter the Great was more like what is now called "an emerging power". Catherine to Alexander I was a golden age of the Russian empire. From then on until the October revolution it was mostly downhill

mrmitchell is offline mrmitchell
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Sep 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:04
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quote:
No.

I am nominating this post for

MOST PREDICTABLE RESPONSE OF THE CENTURY

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:39
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Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

quote:
Originally posted by mrmitchell
During the Cold War, I would call Russia, in parts, the leader in power.

Thanks.
quote:
However, geography (as many neighbors to be nice with)...

Russia is the coldest country among its neighbours (well, almost, only Mongolia is worse).
However, it is a plain and unbeatable fact, that no one else, ever build such great, long-lasting and powerfull civilization in such enviroment as Russians did.
Perhaps in terms of enviroment Canada is closer to Russia than any other country (though Russian enviroment is more hostile and it is colder in Russia).
And how many people live in Canada? 30 millions?
In USSR lived more than 300. Today in Russia live about 150 millions.
Was Canada or any country with more or less Russian alike climate a superpower?
I don't think so. Actually, I think you can hardly name any other big countries except Russia and Canada that located in such hostile enviroment.
quote:
... and environment (lots of Russia is just frozen unfarmable wasteland at least in the winter ) works against them.

Sure. Btw, I live in this frozen unfarmable wasteland.

quote:
Plus vodka. Vodka is the greatest productivity loss to hit Russia since the cold.

Vodka, vodka, what the hell is so wrong with vodka?
It's stereotype about Russians. In fact in accordace with statistic Russians are not European top drinkers and average Russian consume less alcohol per year than some of his european neighbours.
Anyhow, every country has its national sport. Germans have beer, French and Italians have wine, Russians and Finns have vodka, so what? It's damn cold here and in such enviroment people have to eat food which contains many fats. Vodka helps to digest such kind of food. National alcohol preference comes from enviroment where people live.

quote:
But you couldn't say Communism was good for Russia, because it wasn't technically Communism--it was more of a brutal and oppressive, but industrialized, dictatorship.

Like anything else could save Russia in its darkest hour. Everytime when Russia is in grave danger it turns to brutal dictatorship and mobilize itself. That's the only way if you want to build a great civ in such enviroment.
Because:
1) Russia in its natural form (I mean as big and strong country) cannot be like its european neighbours, because of enviroment.

2) Thanks to favorable conditions, it is natural for european countries to be technologically superior in comparison with Russia. And since in human history more advanced civs were always "eating" backward civs, there comes time when more advanced civs attack their backward neighbour. However, Russia always survived those invasions, because it's mobilized itself. And this period of mobilization was always:
a) a period of brutal dictatorship, beacuse to survive, state had to find resources somewhere and the only source of resources for the Russian state, was its population.
b) started from Russians taking technologies from the West.
That's for example, how it was during three greatest periods of mobilization in Russian history, during: Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Stalin.

3) After mobilization, Russia usually reaches/exceeds technological level of its enemies and kicks invader's arses. After that comes period of relaxation, because population cannot be such epxloited forever. People have to rest time after time.
When Russia is in period of relaxation, it starts to lose competition with its neigbours and become more and more backward in comparison with western powers.
Then everything repeats.
Nobody proved to me yet, that this theory of mobilization/relaxation cirles is wrong.
Russia cannot survive as Russia without those circles, because it is impossible.
Without those circles, it is impossible to create such country as Russia in such hostile enviroment .
Without those circles Russia would never exist and it's territory would be populated by 15-20 millions at best.
In other words, without those circles, in this enviroment, it would be country like Canada, poor populated, but still more backward in comparison with real Canada. And during its history, this Russia would never be among world's top powers and there would never be Tolstoy, Dostoevsky or first space flight, as well.

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:40
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quote:
Originally posted by mrmitchell

I am nominating this post for

MOST PREDICTABLE RESPONSE OF THE CENTURY

Well, thank you. Where I can get my prize?

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:46
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quote:
Originally posted by ErikM

He did, but Russia under Peter the Great was more like what is now called "an emerging power". Catherine to Alexander I was a golden age of the Russian empire. From then on until the October revolution it was mostly downhill

Sure, but Peter the Great, mobilized the country and gave huge impulse for development. You can't waste such potential within short time. The same did another great dictator- Stalin. He gave such potential to Russia, that only Gorbachev and Yeltzin, after almost half of the century were able to waste it (though it is not completely wasted yet, even now, in 21st century).

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:48
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Russia
Communism
Avangard- Chempion

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Vince278 is offline Vince278
King

Dec 2002
time: 05:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:55
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quote:
Originally posted by JohnT
No, for their influence spanned the globe for the first time in its history.


Any third world country with an oversized military and more nukes than common sense would have alot of influence. But was their influence good for the world? No.

America had enormous growing pains from 1776 to 1815 and after that there was the Civil War. We, like the Russians, had issues while growing up. I realize modern nations are more complex but if Russia hangs in there and stays the course they too will prevail just like we did.

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:58
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Got spare money?

Give us your lands and we will for sure.

Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 09:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Vince278
But was their influence good for the world? No.

Sure it was. Who the hell do you think defeated Hitler, Napoleon and Mongols ( OMG, THE MONGOLS)?
US Marines?
Who do you think launched first spaceman?
Harry Potter?
Who do you think suppressed American imperialism for almost half of the century?
Jaguar warriors of Tumba-Yumba's tribe?

Seeker is offline Seeker
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London Ontario
Jan 1970
time: 00:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:03 Visit Seeker's homepage!
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"Upper Volta with rockets"

-German Chancellor Willy Brandt on Russia.

Combat Ingrid is offline Combat Ingrid
Chieftain
Satan's Majestic Empire
Nov 2001
time: 06:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Seeker
"Upper Volta with rockets"

-German Chancellor Willy Brandt on Russia.


Serb is offline Serb
Prince
Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
time: 11:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:05
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FYI, it was Margaret Teacher, who said this troll.
F*ck her. Old witch.
Btw Upper Volta now calls Burkina-Faso which means "the land of honest people".

Last edited by Serb on 25-04-2004 at 10:11

Vince278 is offline Vince278
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Dec 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:09
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quote:
Originally posted by ErikM
He did, but Russia under Peter the Great was more like what is now called "an emerging power". Catherine to Alexander I was a golden age of the Russian empire. From then on until the October revolution it was mostly downhill


Peter the Great was the right leader at the right time for Russia but the west always seemed to have a low opinion of him. When he visited England he and his entourage were described as having more fleas and ticks than a horde of plague rats. Also, before leaving they trashed their accomodations like a group of rampaging frat brothers. He also did fall for the now imfamous Potempkin village.

I'd give a to Catherine. She was to Russia what Elizabeth I was to England. (Of course the west got carried away with rumours about her "appetites".)

Serb is offline Serb
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Siberia, Communist party of Apolyton
Nov 2001
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:12
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Like west ever had any opinion about Russia except "low".

mrmitchell is offline mrmitchell
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Sep 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:54
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quote:
Sure it was. Who the hell do you think defeated Hitler, Napoleon and Mongols ( OMG, THE MONGOLS)?

Guess which one is out of place!

quote:
Vodka, vodka, what the hell is so wrong with vodka?

Nothing, I was just joking

Serb, it's joke time!
Q: Do you think a Communist regime in the desert would be successful?





A: I don't know. Pretty soon they would have to deal with the sand shortages!

Vince278 is offline Vince278
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Dec 2002
time: 05:35
  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Who the hell do you think defeated Hitler, Napoleon and Mongols?


The US and allies (Hitler), English (Napoleon), and themselves by internal strife (Mongols). Lets not forget Russia allied with Hitler in 1939 (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact).

quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Who do you think launched first spaceman?


Khazakstan! (from Baikonar). The pilot, of course, was Russian.

quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Who do you think suppressed American imperialism for almost half of the century?


We did. We are not imperialist.

Wow. Haven't talked to you in months. I was wondering why my blood pressure went down.

Vince278 is offline Vince278
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Dec 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Seeker
"Upper Volta with rockets"

-German Chancellor Willy Brandt on Russia.


Vince278 is offline Vince278
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Dec 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Btw Upper Volta now calls Burkina-Faso which means "the land of honest people".


What does "Russia" mean?

Vince278 is offline Vince278
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Dec 2002
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  Old Post 25-04-2004 10:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Serb
Like west ever had any opinion about Russia except "low".


Wonder why.

 
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