"One of the great contradictions of Marxism is the dictatorship of the proletariat."
Funny how all these various ideological contradictions and mistakes always seem to err in the direction of a few sociopaths having unlimited power.
That said, and with no intent of contradicting Professor Loomis's piece, for the "average" Soviet, the deal was implicit: as long as life improved somewhat (for those who hadn't been killed, that is), the citizens would continue to support it, however tacitly and reluctantly.
When Soviet growth stagnated in the seventies, the system began to collapse. It was well-entrenched enough that the collapse took fifteen years, but it was unstoppable once it started.
There's a lesson there for the oligarchs, if they had the wit to understand it. They used to, but they're almost as dumb as the rest of the country, now. And they're getting dumber even faster.
I’m sure someone has mentioned it but Mike Duncan’s Revolutions Podcast does a great job (but very long) series on the Russian Revolution. I highly recommend all of them. Most Wonketteers will enjoy his humor and tone.
Thanks for a concise and interesting article. Completely different circumstances of course, but I can see trump destroying formerly MAGA faithful of they turn against him.
Weather is occuring outside of my window. The sky is dark grey, thunder rumbles ominously and abundant hail is how coming down like some sick and twisted nightmare of a legion of tooth faries emptying their pockets.
Another Russian thing we are doing relates to RFKjr who is fostering a "Lysenko strategy that will lead to a disaster here, like it did in the Soviet Union.
Beware of ideological government. It is a lie. Governments are mostly made up of people trying to manipulate the situation for their own betterment. Sometimes politicians see betterment of society at large as driving their own personal betterment, often not. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes not. Depends on what they think is good for society.
I've been reading a bunch of history lately. It's all one rich guy rounding up a bunch of peasants and less-rich guys to beat up on some other rich guy's peasants etc. Trampling all over any peasants who happen to be in the way, pillaging, killing, and raping the civilians.
That goes for US as well (read that as "us" or "United States" as you choose.) We can pay lip service to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", to "all men are created equal" all day long. The American Revolution was all about one bunch of (relatively) rich guys getting pissed that they were paying taxes but not getting any power. All the high falutin' talk was cribbed from what was already going on in England and in France. Our big difference was that we had a relatively blank slate to work with, seein' as how we killed all the folks who were already here, both accidentally and on purpose.
The whole "ideology" bit serves to confuse the peasants and provide cover for the pillagers, etc.
Sometimes it all breaks down. That's called a "civil war" although there's nothing civil about it. It's the most brutal kind of war.
It's been that way throughout history. And now it's our turn. Buckle up, buttercup, it's gonna be a ride.
Here's to the survivors!
(Of course, nuclear threat makes the gambles all so much more exciting!)
(And what the hell, climate change is gonna get us all soon-ish. Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!)
So CSPAN ended up just showing like five minutes of Trump talking in the Kennedy Center and the panned around to show FUCKING MO ONE US THERE, HES WANDERING AN EMPTY BUILDING. Fucking hell. Then back to the judicial debate like nothing happened
"Petrichenko was among the workers who escaped across the ice to Finland where he remained until 1940, when he crossed the Finnish government by supporting Soviet groups in the Winter War."
If I had to guess I'd say that the Soviets lured him back to their side with promises of repatriation and all being forgiven if he'd help them sabotage the Finnish war effort.
If so, then Petrichenko forgot that it's not exactly in the nature of Russian dictators to be forgiving.
they're based in Cambridge, MA( - I don't mean that in the rwnj podcaster sense of the word, but it's kinda funny to think about for a second [dang, this is good potpot!])
I know they do and I'm trying not to give them that satisfaction. I don't know how people are expected to work at a high level under these conditions. :(
“I was put in a cell and had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, just an aluminum foil wrap over my body like a dead body for two and a half days,” Mooney told San Diego’s ABC affiliate, KGTV.
"One of the great contradictions of Marxism is the dictatorship of the proletariat."
Funny how all these various ideological contradictions and mistakes always seem to err in the direction of a few sociopaths having unlimited power.
That said, and with no intent of contradicting Professor Loomis's piece, for the "average" Soviet, the deal was implicit: as long as life improved somewhat (for those who hadn't been killed, that is), the citizens would continue to support it, however tacitly and reluctantly.
When Soviet growth stagnated in the seventies, the system began to collapse. It was well-entrenched enough that the collapse took fifteen years, but it was unstoppable once it started.
There's a lesson there for the oligarchs, if they had the wit to understand it. They used to, but they're almost as dumb as the rest of the country, now. And they're getting dumber even faster.
I’m sure someone has mentioned it but Mike Duncan’s Revolutions Podcast does a great job (but very long) series on the Russian Revolution. I highly recommend all of them. Most Wonketteers will enjoy his humor and tone.
Ta, Erik. There was a lot in this post that I did not know.
Thanks for a concise and interesting article. Completely different circumstances of course, but I can see trump destroying formerly MAGA faithful of they turn against him.
The part about people who were ordinarily thinkers paving over the abuses of their tribe seems relevant to our time..
Good point
Weather is occuring outside of my window. The sky is dark grey, thunder rumbles ominously and abundant hail is how coming down like some sick and twisted nightmare of a legion of tooth faries emptying their pockets.
Marx, and other economists through the ages, have a blind spot about human nature. They persist in seeing people as rational actors.
Another Russian thing we are doing relates to RFKjr who is fostering a "Lysenko strategy that will lead to a disaster here, like it did in the Soviet Union.
The Past is Prologue.
Beware of ideological government. It is a lie. Governments are mostly made up of people trying to manipulate the situation for their own betterment. Sometimes politicians see betterment of society at large as driving their own personal betterment, often not. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes not. Depends on what they think is good for society.
I've been reading a bunch of history lately. It's all one rich guy rounding up a bunch of peasants and less-rich guys to beat up on some other rich guy's peasants etc. Trampling all over any peasants who happen to be in the way, pillaging, killing, and raping the civilians.
That goes for US as well (read that as "us" or "United States" as you choose.) We can pay lip service to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", to "all men are created equal" all day long. The American Revolution was all about one bunch of (relatively) rich guys getting pissed that they were paying taxes but not getting any power. All the high falutin' talk was cribbed from what was already going on in England and in France. Our big difference was that we had a relatively blank slate to work with, seein' as how we killed all the folks who were already here, both accidentally and on purpose.
The whole "ideology" bit serves to confuse the peasants and provide cover for the pillagers, etc.
Sometimes it all breaks down. That's called a "civil war" although there's nothing civil about it. It's the most brutal kind of war.
It's been that way throughout history. And now it's our turn. Buckle up, buttercup, it's gonna be a ride.
Here's to the survivors!
(Of course, nuclear threat makes the gambles all so much more exciting!)
(And what the hell, climate change is gonna get us all soon-ish. Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!)
Bleak, but fair.
Some communists are more equal than others.
So CSPAN ended up just showing like five minutes of Trump talking in the Kennedy Center and the panned around to show FUCKING MO ONE US THERE, HES WANDERING AN EMPTY BUILDING. Fucking hell. Then back to the judicial debate like nothing happened
"Petrichenko was among the workers who escaped across the ice to Finland where he remained until 1940, when he crossed the Finnish government by supporting Soviet groups in the Winter War."
Some people never learn.
I saw that and was like... yeah, no. Brains aren't required to be activists.
I was thinking the same thing. Did his desire for a new society completely overwhelm his common sense?
If I had to guess I'd say that the Soviets lured him back to their side with promises of repatriation and all being forgiven if he'd help them sabotage the Finnish war effort.
If so, then Petrichenko forgot that it's not exactly in the nature of Russian dictators to be forgiving.
I don't think I have ever, ever been as stressed out in my entire life as I am now.
Not even during the pandemic.
small bright spot!
the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists have not advanced the "atomic clock" since democracy ended in the US, soooooooo
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Optimist! XD XD XD
my work here is done
Absinthe?
Is that the green, fairy stuff? OK.
Yep!
oh, you're very kind, thank you!
By one second. I'd have thought we'd be at 60 seconds to midnight right about now.
the ugly truth is that it was moved just before the current occupant took office to the closest it has ever been to that metaphorical midnight :/
and I am still of the strongly held opinion that we'll see some kind of nuclear event before the end of the calendar year - wheeeeeee!!!
Ah, okay. Moving it is no insignificant task.
I think the outfit meets once a year or something
they're based in Cambridge, MA( - I don't mean that in the rwnj podcaster sense of the word, but it's kinda funny to think about for a second [dang, this is good potpot!])
I feel ya.
They want us to despair.
Take a break from the news for a day or two. Find places, do things that make you happy. Let loved ones take care of you.
Peace and strength to you.
I know they do and I'm trying not to give them that satisfaction. I don't know how people are expected to work at a high level under these conditions. :(
Thank you so much! Back to you, also!
Hear hear.
This is why I despise ideologues of whatever stripe.
Aw. Pope Whatsisnuts seemed to have blocked me.
Come back when you have some data.
TTFN.
Damn it. CSPAN cut away from the WI judicial debate to inform us Trump us at the Kennedy Center and talking. Because that’s such an important thing
Speaking of authoritarian dictators:
𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘆 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗢𝗻 '𝗜𝗻𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲' 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
“I was put in a cell and had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, just an aluminum foil wrap over my body like a dead body for two and a half days,” Mooney told San Diego’s ABC affiliate, KGTV.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jasmine-mooney-actor-detained-by-ice_n_67d83e6be4b0dade360cd495
what even the fuck?
not incidentally, something like half [exaggerated for effect] of Hollywood is seekritly Canadian
(the ooooold joke regarding Pamela Anderson's Canadianness was
'well, most of her anyway' )
I hope the US economy doesn't depend on foreign tourists in any way.
Service economies don't grow on trees.
You might want to sit down...
laughs and laughs and laughs in 'post-covid tourist town'