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provis99

(13,062 posts)

169. non-sequitur.

Reply to RZM (Reply #144)

Tue Mar 6, 2012, 12:06 AM

Mar 2012

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Enough about the bad, what was GOOD abot the Soviet Union? [View all] Taverner Mar 2012 OP

They made a great enemy slackmaster Mar 2012 #1

Aye. Boogeyman Supreme. Taverner Mar 2012 #8

There was nothing good. mick063 Mar 2012 #2

BS. I've spoken to many who, despite being Anti-Communist, admitted the system treated them well Taverner Mar 2012 #7

As long as you could join the party sharp_stick Mar 2012 #26

Did you ask anyone from the Gulags? Zalatix Mar 2012 #114

i know. this thread is cracking me up... dionysus Mar 2012 #178

Is that what they told you in school? Fool Count Mar 2012 #28

One thing that doesn't make sense Shankapotomus Mar 2012 #3

It was efficient at exploiting natural resources bhikkhu Mar 2012 #35

"do you level off, or do you nosedive?"... You mean like in 2008 here in the US? LooseWilly Mar 2012 #123

if you're honestly comparing that to the way the USSR fell, well... can't help ya... dionysus Mar 2012 #176

True but even better than that was malaise Mar 2012 #4

+100 Taverner Mar 2012 #9

Somehow I don't think that made having such a brutal, oppresive system valid. YMMV. n/t PavePusher Mar 2012 #159

Brutal and oppressive compared to what? malaise Mar 2012 #161

The Soviets never had laws against drugs? PavePusher Mar 2012 #163

might want to crack a history book and look up gulags.... dionysus Mar 2012 #177

It was only good in comparison to the previous regime. A theocratic dictatorship, dimbear Mar 2012 #5

The women and the vodka imo. Not much else FarLeftFist Mar 2012 #6

Beat me to it. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #12

Those Ukraine girls really knocked me out Art_from_Ark Mar 2012 #167

Other worldly graphic design and style. onehandle Mar 2012 #10

I highly rec this coffee table book Taverner Mar 2012 #16

A smiley broke your link obxhead Mar 2012 #23

Here ya go! Taverner Mar 2012 #83

much of their sports medicine/ sports science (not sure of the term) was ahead of its time eShirl Mar 2012 #11

Uh, taking out Hitler? napoleon_in_rags Mar 2012 #13

YES! There is that!!! Taverner Mar 2012 #14

Not very economical on the Infantry or the Civilians BOHICA12 Mar 2012 #44

You're right, they did ruin Hitler. bigmonkey Mar 2012 #101

I wonder about alternative histories... napoleon_in_rags Mar 2012 #141

1200 miles of fire and flying steel. ronnie624 Mar 2012 #115

A quote that made the rounds Dyedinthewoolliberal Mar 2012 #15

What was good about Hitler's Germany? Frances Mar 2012 #17

Nazi Germany =/= Soviet Union Taverner Mar 2012 #62

Nazi Germany < Soviet Union Zalatix Mar 2012 #104

Tell that to the Native Americans & the slaves. baldguy Mar 2012 #109

Umm, the USSR was every bit as evil as we said. Ask the Soviet Jews sometime. Zalatix Mar 2012 #112

The USSR was around much longer than Nazi Germany, too. baldguy Mar 2012 #117

Let me repeat. Saying that the USA was worst of all does NOT invalidate the fact that Zalatix Mar 2012 #118

You <3 Hitler for killing Soviets? Am I getting it? LooseWilly Mar 2012 #133

Its amazing... This person wishes Hitler took Stalingrad and won the eastern front. napoleon_in_rags Mar 2012 #142

The best part is that, since defending Stalin is bannable, cheerleading Hitler can't be challenged! LooseWilly Mar 2012 #146

Absolutely disgusting. I want there to be no illusions about where my sentiments lie: napoleon_in_rags Mar 2012 #150

The U.S. likely killed more Native Americans than either of those regimes killed Jews. white_wolf Mar 2012 #119

Now you are changing the subject. The subject was the USSR vs Nazi Germany. Zalatix Mar 2012 #121

I was actually agreeing with the above poster who pointed out the U.S. issue. white_wolf Mar 2012 #124

I already condemned the US in my response to him. Next? Zalatix Mar 2012 #126

The subject was NOT the USSR vs Nazi Germany... that's just what you seem to want the subject to be LooseWilly Mar 2012 #148

What an idiotic argument, going on about PERCENTAGES. Zalatix Mar 2012 #154

If percentages aren't relevant... then please communicate that fact to all of corporate America... LooseWilly Mar 2012 #182

Wait, now you're comparing economics to mass slaughter? Zalatix Mar 2012 #184

Technological and scientific advancement? dmallind Mar 2012 #66

They forced America's hand at civil rights reforms and support for the arts and sciences Tom Ripley Mar 2012 #18

Oh, I've got a long list of goodies... cynatnite Mar 2012 #19

You want some indirect benefits of the USSR? white_wolf Mar 2012 #20

Everyone had a place to live izquierdista Mar 2012 #21

All the things you laud about the Soviet Union Cirque du So-What Mar 2012 #22

You stated that very well etherealtruth Mar 2012 #25

Those reforms probably wouldn't have been implemented without the USSR. white_wolf Mar 2012 #30

I highly doubt that. The USSR delayed the implementation of those reforms... joshcryer Mar 2012 #51

The entire NEW LEFT in America and Britain was formed in opposition to the USSR. Zalatix Mar 2012 #125

So,what is your point? white_wolf Mar 2012 #129

You said Zalatix Mar 2012 #155

Very good point Taverner Mar 2012 #158

. dionysus Mar 2012 #173

Oh, please do you really think the capitalists granted those reforms out of kindness? white_wolf Mar 2012 #174

i'll tell you one thing; cardboard cutout comrades crack me up. dionysus Mar 2012 #180

Apologists for capitalism crack me up. white_wolf Mar 2012 #181

how bout this; i'll take a nice socialist country like sweden, and you have have your failed death dionysus Mar 2012 #185

Note: in the beginning the Soviet Union was to be implemented democratically. joshcryer Mar 2012 #50

The Mensheviks Octafish Mar 2012 #71

Yep, Socialist Revolutionaries, Left Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, and anarchists. joshcryer Mar 2012 #78

Bingo!!! Zalatix Mar 2012 #113

Greater equality of the sexes. geek tragedy Mar 2012 #24

YES. Half the Politburo were women, if I remember correctly (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2012 #41

Seriously? muriel_volestrangler Mar 2012 #153

Well, I know people who came from there and people who studied there as grad students Lydia Leftcoast Mar 2012 #27

In addition to other positives mentioned upthread... Starry Messenger Mar 2012 #29

Jobs for all who were willing to become slaves to the system. boppers Mar 2012 #31

If not for the Soviet Union, we many never have experienced Eduard Khil !!! Joe Shlabotnik Mar 2012 #32

and Yakov Smirnoff IDemo Mar 2012 #79

motivated America to do a lot of good things , helped defeat NAzi Germany JI7 Mar 2012 #33

The best thing about Soviet Union was a complete absence of profit motive Fool Count Mar 2012 #34

It would have been more valuable had it not failed so spectacularly bhikkhu Mar 2012 #37

But besides that... kudos... JSnuffy Mar 2012 #42

That "ruined environments, ruined economy and shattered society" will look Fool Count Mar 2012 #45

Agree with that completely. nt TBF Mar 2012 #89

True, they did collapse while there were still resources left to burn through bhikkhu Mar 2012 #98

The Soviet Union was certainly an invaluable showcase for a system without any profit motive (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2012 #43

Are you kidding me? joshcryer Mar 2012 #54

I am not kidding you, I lived there. And I don't see how anything you say here about cronyism Fool Count Mar 2012 #103

What point was I trying to invalidate? You were just suggesting one side of the coin. joshcryer Mar 2012 #106

Cronyism (and nepotism) run deep in every country around the world, including the US. LooseWilly Mar 2012 #145

Cronyism is more apparent in these so called "socialist" systems, and easier to hide. joshcryer Mar 2012 #149

No, it wasn't. Everything you have said is false. Assertions without substantiation are easy. LooseWilly Mar 2012 #183

Soviets invented (modern) cinema...often forgotten in the Hollywood myth alcibiades_mystery Mar 2012 #36

Ivan Drago from "Rocky 4". Nye Bevan Mar 2012 #38

No annoying political commercials on TV. Nye Bevan Mar 2012 #39

Defeating the Third Reich .... BOHICA12 Mar 2012 #40

Also,there are several polls that show that the Russian people think they were better off under the- white_wolf Mar 2012 #46

+100 Taverner Mar 2012 #82

Are you going to do obliviously Mar 2012 #47

Bullshit comparison and you know it. white_wolf Mar 2012 #49

61,911,000 Victims obliviously Mar 2012 #53

The Holocaust was deliberate murder. white_wolf Mar 2012 #55

Post removed Post removed Mar 2012 #57

Jesus FUCK - what kind of retort is that??? Taverner Mar 2012 #59

Read the links obliviously Mar 2012 #65

Bullshit! I clearly said I don't support the USSR. white_wolf Mar 2012 #61

Who is that guy in your avatar? boppers Mar 2012 #67

Karl Marx... white_wolf Mar 2012 #70

Marx was a philosopher, not a politician. boppers Mar 2012 #85

Marx =/= USSR Taverner Mar 2012 #72

Oh it was Marxist-Lennist for sure. white_wolf Mar 2012 #81

I don't know about that RZM Mar 2012 #96

Seven million died in the 'forgotten' holocaust obliviously Mar 2012 #60

Erm, the Red Terror was certainly deliberate as were many mass atrocities in the Soviet Union. joshcryer Mar 2012 #64

Stalin's regime was monstrous. There is no denying that. white_wolf Mar 2012 #68

The poster made a shitty quip but Stalin did mass murder people, it's unquestionable. joshcryer Mar 2012 #76

I said Stalin's reign was monstrous. white_wolf Mar 2012 #80

"A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia" puts it at a minimum of 25 million massacred. Zalatix Mar 2012 #156

61.911,000? Really? You don't say. Why not 61,911,457? Fool Count Mar 2012 #105

It was 160 million before the October Revolution, 8 years later? 130 million. joshcryer Mar 2012 #107

Thank you. nt. Starry Messenger Mar 2012 #122

I'm sure you have similar criticisms of the genocide of Native Americans baldguy Mar 2012 #111

They put a robot on the moon. Other than that, the political system was murderous. joshcryer Mar 2012 #48

No it wasn't. And no, it didn't. The very statement that Fool Count Mar 2012 #127

I have not encountered any undeserved criticism of the USSR. joshcryer Mar 2012 #131

Like you have not encountered a war you didn't like? Fool Count Mar 2012 #132

Oh, so you don't think Russia's imperialist forays into Afghanistan deserved criticism? joshcryer Mar 2012 #134

Post removed Post removed Mar 2012 #136

Post removed Post removed Mar 2012 #139

Enlighten yourself obliviously Mar 2012 #52

they produced awesome chess players Enrique Mar 2012 #56

They scared rich people elsewhere into playing nice for a while JHB Mar 2012 #58

+100 Taverner Mar 2012 #75

The rich people were the senior members of the Communist Party. Nye Bevan Mar 2012 #88

I think you missed the key word "elsewhere". n/t JHB Mar 2012 #147

Agree. nt TBF Mar 2012 #91

They had some truly great musicians dmallind Mar 2012 #62

Oooh, they had great mustaches and beards, too! boppers Mar 2012 #69

...um... Taverner Mar 2012 #73

Hey, when I saw "musicians" I read it as "mustaches". boppers Mar 2012 #86

I'm unsure a rigid central authority is needed or even beneficial for beard growth, but if you like. dmallind Mar 2012 #160

Vodka technology advanced by DECADES Canuckistanian Mar 2012 #74

In only 70 years, no less! eom boppers Mar 2012 #87

Yuri Gagarin Octafish Mar 2012 #77

This thread made me think about Shankapotomus Mar 2012 #84

Dunno - there's quite a lot of red-baiting in this thread. TBF Mar 2012 #93

There are several things I'd like to post countering comments in the thread. Starry Messenger Mar 2012 #94

My views are left of yours and I have been posting them repeatedly throughout this thread. joshcryer Mar 2012 #108

How brave of you, saying that USSR was a totalitarian dictatorship oppressing its people. Fool Count Mar 2012 #130

Nope, some on the left avoid touching on the issue of totalitarian Russia. joshcryer Mar 2012 #135

Really? Shankapotomus Mar 2012 #151

Read the TOS very closely TBF Mar 2012 #186

would make a GREAT movie. "The Softer Side of Stalin" nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #90

"...\.what was GOOD about the Soviet Union?" unkachuck Mar 2012 #92

+1 When The Soviets fell, "Greed is Good" became the mantra. napoleon_in_rags Mar 2012 #143

re: "no one starves" cthulu2016 Mar 2012 #95

significant increase in literacy in 11 years. provis99 Mar 2012 #97

And do you know what was going on there during the time of the Great Depression? RZM Mar 2012 #144

non-sequitur. provis99 Mar 2012 #169

Nope. America would never do something like that to our own people.... Taverner Mar 2012 #170

Your examples took place many generations before the terror famine RZM Mar 2012 #171

Stalin was a few generations ago too... Taverner Mar 2012 #172

But not nearly as many as the trail of tears or slavery RZM Mar 2012 #175

There was a lot of social mobility in the early years, notably during the Five Year Plans RZM Mar 2012 #99

The olympics didn't suck Tabasco_Dave Mar 2012 #100

It's just a distraction from the stupidity of Republicanism gulliver Mar 2012 #102

This message was self-deleted by its author Boojatta Apr 2012 #189

I will answer that! The US had to silence the Soviet Union because it did not want any competition ! akbacchus_BC Mar 2012 #110

The USSR wasn't as different from the US as we think. backscatter712 Mar 2012 #116

Soviet technology built the world's largest transistor. Comrade Grumpy Mar 2012 #120

But everyone had to join the union. Kablooie Mar 2012 #128

If they were more democratic, in the real sense of the term, it could have worked better. JNathanK Mar 2012 #137

Nearly universal higher education Kwarg Mar 2012 #138

Fodder for Republican scare tactics against ANYTHING approaching the idea of common resources. alp227 Mar 2012 #140

More of a solidarity feeling with others steve2470 Mar 2012 #152

I think they had a low crime rate. aikoaiko Mar 2012 #157

They had a cool national anthem. Swede Mar 2012 #162

Their national team was kinda-sorta good at hockey, too... Blue_Tires Mar 2012 #164

The Russian Federation still has the same anthem, but with different lyrics RZM Mar 2012 #166

Their 1972 Olympic Basketball team. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2012 #165

Uh..... Gruntled Old Man Mar 2012 #168

in soviet russia, the thread locks you.... dionysus Mar 2012 #179

They pulled Russia out of feudalism KamaAina Mar 2012 #187

I wish I could find the appropriate scene from Dr.Zhivago, but this'll have to do Leopolds Ghost Mar 2012 #188