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The USSR in 100 Photographs

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Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#21

Post by victorbjorklund »

epolanski wrote: post #14

At times I think about how democracies, especially those plagued by winner-takes-all mechanics like presidential and semi-presidential republics, can pretend to be democratic while de facto being very authoritarian. In the USSR, workers (in Soviets) voted their delegates and the delegates in turn elected the top hierarchy of the communist party. So yes, the USSR was obviously an authoritarian regime controlled by a s…

Soviet only had elections on paper. You serious think it was possible to vote away Stalin? You must be crazy if you claim there was free elections and anyone could run against Stali.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#22

Post by epolanski »

Toutouxc wrote: post #10

I grew up in an ex-eastern bloc country, so I’m familiar with some of the aesthetics and even echoes of the Soviet mentality. The images fill me with despair. So much human potential wasted.

Me too, Poland, but I don't share the sentiment a bit.

I'm not denying things are better now, but they are also much more complex, people socialize way less, neighborhoods that were filled with life are now filled by cars taking any corner and you barely see anybody sitting outside and just talking.

People are way more anxious and less happy, have no kids at all.

Are we better overall? Sure. If you look at the financial angle we are.

Are we safer or happier? I don't see that at all.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#23

Post by dugmartin »

readthenotes1 wrote: post #16
f6v wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People, on average, were much less unhappy than others believe.

I like the picture showing off the full shelf of bread. Which Russian leader came over here and thought he was seeing a potemken village of grocery stores

I think you are thinking g of Boris Yeltsin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_visit_by_Boris_Yeltsin_to...

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#24

Post by Arodex »

epolanski wrote: post #14

At times I think about how democracies, especially those plagued by winner-takes-all mechanics like presidential and semi-presidential republics, can pretend to be democratic while de facto being very authoritarian. In the USSR, workers (in Soviets) voted their delegates and the delegates in turn elected the top hierarchy of the communist party. So yes, the USSR was obviously an authoritarian regime controlled by a s…

Modern democracy is not just about elections but about the separation of powers.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#26

Post by epolanski »

keiferski wrote: post #18
Eriks wrote: post #4

no photos of KGB prisons or gulags? Not surprising..

These kinds of articles are only popular in places that had no direct experience of life in the USSR. No one in Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, etc. looks back on the time with fondness.

I'm Polish and your statement is absolutely false.

Things were simply different. My family had an absolutely happy life for all the generations that followed WW2.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#27

Post by cr1895 »

iammjm wrote: post #19

More like: USSR propaganda in 100 photographs. One “man in space” vs millions of people devoid of plumbing and basic products, all living in a repressive orwellian society. The aftermath is still tangible: former satellite states are even after 30 years behind Western Europe economically, the former USSR republics are either marginalised, autocratic or in active war for their survival against their former colonial ma…

>don’t let them trick you into imagining USSR as some sort of utopia

was there some particular risk of this?

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#28

Post by woodruffw »

craftkiller wrote: post #20

What's going on with the photo of the children standing around a light wearing sunglasses? My first thought was tanning booth but surely they weren't tanning children?

“Ultraviolet baths” for vitamin D.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photo-of-the-day/photo/ul...

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#30

Post by keiferski »

epolanski wrote: post #26
keiferski wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These kinds of articles are only popular in places that had no direct experience of life in the USSR. No one in Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, etc. looks back on the time with fondness.

I'm Polish and your statement is absolutely false. Things were simply different. My family had an absolutely happy life for all the generations that followed WW2.

I've lived in Poland for the last decade. I'd say 95% of the population looks back on the USSR era with negative views. Poland probably has the best situation it's been in for hundreds of years.

The opinions of 20 year olds that weren't alive during the USSR era do not count.

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