In a message dated 11/6/98 9:35:03 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< But another thought has crossed my mind recently. We must not overlook
that
when the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia lost its eastern European satellites
and its ties with its former republics were greatly weakened. The
impression one gets from talking with people from former satellites such as
Poland or Hungary is that, over a four decade period, the Russians bled
these countries dry. The republics were bled over a much longer period.
One cannot help but wonder about the extent to which the loss of the ability
to bleed affected Russia. How dependent was Russia on a continuous flow of
tribute from its empire? To what extent did Russia have an economy of its
own, and to what extent was it dependent on the economies of others? Look
at it this way: At least some eastern European countries are now thriving
while Russia continues to decline. >>
Yes but.
The Central Asia countries were bleeding Russia and other dry in the FSU.
This would at least partially offset the SU using the Eastern European
satellites as economic colonies.
Unlike Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, Russia had no prior experience
in capitalism.
Jerry Harp
