Yoshie:
The Russian default was a blow against neoliberalism: Neoliberalism
at the global level has also been dealt some serious blows--although
one of the hardest punches has not received the attention it
deserves: Russia's default on $200 billion worth of debt, some $40
billion of which is
Anyhow, I think that Chris is trying to say that, though the Russian
economy tanked after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, its
economy has recovered quite a bit since Russia defaulted on its
foreign debt in 1998. Putin has managed the post-default Russian
economy well by capitalist
Lou says:
Chris Doss wrote:
Just as an aside, I know a guy who sells shoe polish in the Moscow
train stations who makes over four times that much.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make. Is this anecdotal
evidence meant to refute the radical critique of the
counter-revolution in the
Chris makes a good point regarding Russia. The experience of the Soviet
bloc and the USSR itself have differed. Peter Gowan provides a nice
summary of how the Soviet bloc industries were taken over by foreigners,
sometimes, merely to be shut down. Russia, by contrast, has kept control
over
-Original Message-
From: Jeff Sommers [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 11:47:35 +0300
Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Capitalism versus socialism
Peter Gowan provides a nice
summary of how the Soviet bloc industries were taken over by foreigners,
sometimes, merely
One other little thing: with respect to the following comment, well, it depends a lot
on where you are. My impression is that really existing socialism has a lot of fans
in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Kyrgystan not only has all it old Lenin statues, it
builds new ones. A very different
Just a couple more comments on this passage. God knows I hate Yeltsin like the plague,
but the case is being really overstated here:
In Poland, the former Gdansk Shipyard, point of origin of the Solidarity
Trade Union, is closed and now a museum piece. Over 20% of the labor force
is officially
Chris Doss wrote:
Under communism the economic decisions and property were national and
publicly owned. Over the past 15 years of the transition to capitalism
almost all basic industries, energy, mining, communications, infrastructure
and wholesale trade industries have been taken over by European
How do you fix that damn line thing anyway?
Louis wrote:
The bourgeois press is now filled with reports about how the Russian
economy is finally taking off. It would be unfortunate if the left
became influenced by this happy talk.
--
I write: Well, there were trebuyetsya srochno prodavets
I think Louis right to suggest caution in asking who benefits from the
current growth in Russia, but there has been a qualitative shift since the
1990s. Growth is not merely being absorbed at the top of the economy. The
1998 collapse of the ruble delivered the unintended Keynesian consequence of
Chris Doss wrote:
How do you fix that damn line thing anyway?
Tell me what mail client you are using (Eudora, MS Outlook, or whatever)
and I'll tell you.
I write: Well, there were trebuyetsya srochno prodavets (we're hiring vendors urgently) signs in all the shop windows I passed on my way to work
-Original Message-
From: Jeff Sommers [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I think Louis right to suggest caution in asking who benefits from the
current growth in Russia, but there has been a qualitative shift since the
1990s. Growth is not merely being absorbed at the top of the economy. The
1998
Tell me what mail client you are using (Eudora, MS Outlook, or whatever)
and I'll tell you.
God, I don't know. Some Russian thing. I'll ask.
--
But we heard the same thing about Poland, Hungary and other Eastern
European nations as well. Anecdotal evidence is less interesting to me
than broader
Louis,
Your question is solid. How much is this boom is due to high oil prices?
Some estimates suggest as much as half to 2/3rds Yet, I really think it
hard to dismiss the role of the ruble's devaluation in creating this new
growth. It created the first investment in Russian industry since the
Few of the workers, it seems, want to stay. But even fewer have better
options. In a country where a quarter of the population lives in poverty
and the average wage is $190 a month, a steady job is a good job.
Just as an aside, I know a guy who sells shoe polish in the Moscow train
Chris Doss wrote:
Just as an aside, I know a guy who sells shoe polish in the Moscow train stations who makes over four times that much.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make. Is this anecdotal
evidence meant to refute the radical critique of the counter-revolution
in the USSR? Do you
Chris Doss wrote:
Tell me what mail client you are using (Eudora, MS Outlook, or whatever)
and I'll tell you.
God, I don't know. Some Russian thing. I'll ask.
At 6:09 PM +0300 3/9/04, =?koi8-r?Q?=22?=Chris Doss=?koi8-r?Q?=22=20?= wrote:
X-Mailer: mPOP Web-Mail 2.19
-Original Message-
From: Louis Proyect [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I am not sure what point you are trying to make.
My point was just to show that official stats on Russian incomes are wildly
inaccurate, due to the informal economy. 95% of Western commentary in this country is
people seeing in
Rebelión, March 1, 2004
Capitalism versus socialism: The great debate revisited
James Petras
http://www.rebelion.org/petras/english/040304capitalism.htm
The debate between socialism and capitalism is far from over. In fact the
battle of ideas is intensifying. International agencies, including
Under communism the economic decisions and property were national and
publicly owned. Over the past 15 years of the transition to capitalism
almost all basic industries, energy, mining, communications, infrastructure
and wholesale trade industries have been taken over by European and US
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