The pros and cons of life in the Soviet Union

[spot]

Since we have a Russian to ask - Barmaley, do you ever feel nostalgic for any aspect of the Soviet Union? Perhaps you're too young to remember or you never lived through any of it, but maybe you have an opinion.

[Barmaley]

I am too old not to remember living there . This is a huge topic and i would love to give my opinion here since I have my own theory about that time. However there are a lot of misconceptions about life there. I think it would be interesting if you guys first tell about what you think life was there and then I will give you my testimonies about what I remember about that time.

[Brian]

Hi, Barmaley.

I learned about the Soviet Union in high school. (I went to high school from 1985-1989.) The thing I remember hearing about most is that there was only one party to vote for. How can you call it voting if there's only one party? I never understood that.

The other thing I remember hearing about a lot is that there were shortages of everything, because the high-ranking party members were taking everything, and leaving very little for the people.

And of course, there was the Cold War. Everybody was afraid that there would be a nuclear war when I was growing up.

This was a popular song in the 80's:

[spot]

[Barmaley]

Wow - I put a BIG post here about shortages - (whey are a big misconception) but it is not here It is specially sad consider that for me typing in English is a torture. Brian - can you try to recover it? I will kill myself if I need to retype it!

[Brian]

[sledge]

What was the difference of the Soviet Union(the Communists) and Nazis? one party one dictators but only reason Hitler and Nazism(to some degree) perished is everyone was against him and his Reich was blown to pieces. The 2 biggest rivals were Communists and Fascists so two could not have flourished which communism won.

Everything was in short supply in communist countries except corruption and still is today.

[Brian]

[sledge]

[Boba]