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A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

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Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#51

Post by disintegore »

goatinaboat wrote: post #27
lacampbell wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting though how very well meaning utopian policies The largest tragedy of the 21st century is that people still think these policies and these people were 'well-meaning' or 'it just went a bit wrong'. It seems that only when we defeat murderous totalitarians militarily that we understand them for what they are.

people still think these policies and these people were 'well-meaning' or 'it just went a bit wrong' They are taught to think that by people who want to have another go. Of course those people won’t be joining you in the fields, they see themselves as card-carrying Party members. Think I’m kidding? https://mobile.twitter.com/bbcthisweek/status/67003748693718... We have a General Election coming up in the UK and milli…

It doesn't make any sense to me why some people try to rehabilitate Stalin, Mao and company. There is absolutely nothing to be gained in doing so. In truth, modern Socialism is far removed from Soviet Communism and modern Socialists need to recognize that "but Stalin" is a trite bad-faith argument and the people who employ it should be ridiculed.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#52

Post by vkou »

rayiner wrote: post #26
danharaj wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No famines were ever caused by western capitalist powers in any of their colonies or vassal states.

It's useful to distinguish between deaths due to malevolence, neglect, and other factors. Capitalist countries have killed plenty of people through malevolence or neglect. The Bengal Famine if 1943, for example, was caused by a combination of overpopulation, British imposed inter-province trade restrictions, Japanese occupation of Burma, and diversion of shipping capacity by the British for WWII. It was not, however,…

The Irish potato famine, or the famines in India were absolutely caused by malevolence. You don't 'accidentally' have a famine in a country that is, in the middle of the famine, is a net exporter of food.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#53

Post by ivanhoe »

This is usually called the Russian famine as Soviet Union wasn't established yet. The one in 1932 is called Soviet famine and even more people died that time, some 10 millions. There was also 1919-1922 famine in Kazakhstan, and in these two events combined Kazakhstan lost more than half of its population.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#54

Post by danharaj »

vkou wrote: post #52
rayiner wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's useful to distinguish between deaths due to malevolence, neglect, and other factors. Capitalist countries have killed plenty of people through malevolence or neglect. The Bengal Famine if 1943, for example, was caused by a combination of overpopulation, British imposed inter-province trade restrictions, Japanese occupation of Burma, and diversion of shipping capacity by the British for WWII. It was not, however,…

The Irish potato famine, or the famines in India were absolutely caused by malevolence. You don't 'accidentally' have a famine in a country that is, in the middle of the famine, is a net exporter of food.

Oopsie! Had a wittle famine >w< Sowwy about that!

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#55

Post by Frondo »

varjag wrote: post #38
gatherhunterer wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A soviet is a local official (elected, I think) in Communism. It is not necessarily tied to the USSR. The soviet system was in place at this time, as is mentioned throughout the article.

Soviet is a council, as in a governing committee.

As in the Russian word совет, lit. advice or council.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#57

Post by disintegore »

m0zg wrote: post #33
ceejayoz wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> this was a mere 4 years after the socialist revolution And WWI, and a civil war, and a drought. Poland had its own famine the year before, even without commies.

Sure, but do you seriously think a socialist revolution can happen without a civil war? How do you get rid of those who don't want it? This wasn't the only famine BTW. My great-grandma witnessed cannibalism in the south of Russia (the "bread basket" region) in early 30s. This is the same famine as Holodomor, many people don't know but it affected some regions in Russia too. I heard her first-hand account of it before…

Some would argue that a Socialist state cannot be realized through the currently established democratic processes, even with majority popular support. Wealth has simply far too much influence.

However there is still the good old general strike.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#58

Post by grawprog »

sien wrote: post #41

This kind of knee jerk criticism of cannibalism is just over the top. Real cannibalism is nothing like this. Only reactionaries who haven't read the latest in cannibalism theory from Zydoniek, Foucariname and Chompsky would possibly put this sort of cannibalism in the same class as modern cannibalism. Not to mention that many people in the west have had more than a nibble on a fingernail when it's presented itself. Y…

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311277.php

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001379.htm

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#59

Post by merpnderp »

sien wrote: post #41

This kind of knee jerk criticism of cannibalism is just over the top. Real cannibalism is nothing like this. Only reactionaries who haven't read the latest in cannibalism theory from Zydoniek, Foucariname and Chompsky would possibly put this sort of cannibalism in the same class as modern cannibalism. Not to mention that many people in the west have had more than a nibble on a fingernail when it's presented itself. Y…

Knee jerk acceptance of cannibalism is far worse, which is what acceptance of it must be. Because anyone who's read about modern accounts of cannibalism would realize that any loosening of the moral restrictions of murder leads the state to killing millions in the name of some lie - who's only purpose is the furtherance of unrestricted power.

Re: A new book on cannibalism in the 1921 Russian famine

#60

Post by FillardMillmore »

sien wrote: post #41

This kind of knee jerk criticism of cannibalism is just over the top. Real cannibalism is nothing like this. Only reactionaries who haven't read the latest in cannibalism theory from Zydoniek, Foucariname and Chompsky would possibly put this sort of cannibalism in the same class as modern cannibalism. Not to mention that many people in the west have had more than a nibble on a fingernail when it's presented itself. Y…

I'm about 90% sure that this is satirical, but if not, please enlighten us.
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