The Soviet Union Was Too Big to NOT Fail | Sarah Paine

[@geoffreyclark7513]

Except Afghanistan. Nobody holds Afghanistan. Not even Afghanistan.

[@gaycha6589]

Nobody really wants it - they just don't want anybody else to have it.

[@gurpaljohal8643]

Neither The US or The Soviets were able to conquer it.

[@Lovin_It]

@@gaycha6589 Trillions of $ in resources, I heard that China might be making progress, but I didn't look into it carefully

[@patriotenfield3276]

There used to be a Sultan who was tragically overthrown by Communists.

[@josefptacek113]

​@@patriotenfield3276 no there wasn't there were barbaric clans that got united only thanks to communism. One half sided with them other against them. Before that it was just lawless mess.

[@ranchgreen2497]

Damn Mexico 🇲🇽 catching strays for no reason at all 😂

[@peterlittle6669]

😂

[@movienerd202]

Mexico is doing better than Russia so not bad.

[@wiseauserious8750]

She caught herself and thought holy s*** if I insult Mexico I could lose my job lol

[@GregorClegane402]

There is a subconscious reason, it´s more obvious to refer to a country in the neighbourhood more people would know about.

[@blakegoulds8313]

The reason would be their standard of living....like she said....

[@blackpowder4016]

I've been to Russia. The Russian people have a great sense of humor and tell a lot of jokes about the former Soviet Union. "A man takes the early morning train into Moscow to get some meat because, as all Russians know, there's none in the country. He runs from the station to the marketplace to get there before the crowds. Breathlessly, he runs into one of the stores and asks, 'Is this the shop that has no meat?' The clerk sighs and says, 'no this is the shop that has no fish. The store that has no meat is across the street.'"

[@mannyn2587]

That joke wasn't very funny, I think the punchline got lost in translation

[@givikap120]

​@@mannyn2587punchline is insane poverty, you get it right

[@jennijenjenjen]

@@mannyn2587the joke is he went to the wrong shop. The lost two minutes to cross the street means he’s lost out on the meat? I interpret it that way

[@seanm2216]

​@@jennijenjenjenit means that neither of the stores had what they were supposed to be selling.

[@dahoppser]

​@mannyn2587 he was going to a meat shop that had no meat, and ended up at the fish shop that had no fish. The joke is that neither food shop had the one food they were supposed to sell.

[@draunt7]

Did she just ignore the US' active involvement in destroying the USSR's economy?

[@alexmorrison3442]

Or how they funded what would become the Taliban to fight the USSR?

[@dexterity___]

She picks and chooses a lot. She completely omitted the American revolution for some reason

[@davianoinglesias5030]

Both countries were at war

[@thecl0ck30]

“Why did she leave out espionage” Both sides actively fucked over the other for decades, only dif is if the US lost then you’d be shot for saying shit like that

[@meekman714]

Did you just happen to ignore the fact that the USSR spent a lot of its government income on the military, leaving little to spare for the economic development of the nation? Both countries hated each other and their ideologies. In the end the soviets crumbles due to their horrible policies and waste of resources on military inventions and intelligence agencies

[@lunedefroid8817]

"At what cost?" The was a joke about this in the USSR. A BBC journalist writes an article: the Soviet Hockey team won the world cup. And then accidentally adds: "but at what cost??"

[@modernclassicalmusic8942]

They still do that with China. “China is slashing emissions…but at what cost????”

[@BlueDuck.-]

She says great cost

[@RatherCrunchyMuffin]

I'm dumb, I don't get it. Why is the phrase at what cost a punchline?

[@larryclemens1850]

​@@RatherCrunchyMuffin The soviet athletics system was brutal. The soviet hockey system was particularly brutal. (Think steroids on steroids) There's a story about the 1972 Canada-Soviet series. Commentators thought there was no way the Soviet goaltenders were going to be ready for the Canadian slapshot. To their surprise Tretiack was handling them well. So the reporters complimented him on his ability and asked him how he was able to handle it so well? "Well, we trained for it." "How did he train for it?" "Well, the coach fired pucks at me with a cannon."

[@aceflaviuskaizokuaugustusc8427]

@@RatherCrunchyMuffin It’s a punchline because people have noticed how it’s been overly overly used when describing news that pertains to the US and the West’s enemies. It’s just added on to paint countries like China and Russia as being negative or bad even if the news is somewhat objectively good. Think like for example a news article about China regreening a desert. A western news article would say China is regreening its deserts but at what cost? Implying it actually has a negative impact on the environment. Overall everything has a cost no matter what but usually as long as the good outweighs the negative costs it’s good. And when it comes down to it such an argument can be applied to anything.

[@SnyderBearFarm]

Mexico, ive never seen so many people simultaneously so proud of being from somewhere yet terrified of the thought of ever having to go back

[@nunyabidnes6010]

You mean Turkey?

[@Anthony-dy5cq]

You have shit of an idea of what you're talking about.

[@WarriorsCherub999]

I agree: the minute you ask about them going back to their country. They roll their eyes and say never.

[@SnyderBearFarm]

@@nunyabidnes6010 Turkey and the rest of MENA are Europe's Mexico.

[@UwU-xk5cx]

Then meet some Central americans, Venezuelans or Cubans, the only Mexicans terrified of going back to Mexico are trump supporting illegal migrants (cuz yeah, a lot of illegal migrants are pro trump) and those who have/had something to do with the narco

[@njgrplr2007]

Britain didn't just give up its colonies, they were pressured to do so.

[@declanm2783]

Point was they didn’t put up a fight to hold territory like France did in Vietnam

[@ShaneDGri]

​@declanm2783 exactly they did that in Kenya Singapore and Palestine.

[@akapbhan]

@@ShaneDGri Don't forget Malaysia. India has had nationalism since 1890s

[@jaymack8182]

@@declanm2783 Ireland

[@sjl197]

You’re all now speaking English 😂

[@philthompson8574]

Yes Russia has a lower standard of living than the USA but so does half the population of the USA

[@oreziopancrazio3685]

True!!!!

[@sovietninja3]

Stop it! That's too much truth!

[@oleg2205]

USA never did communist social experiments with millions of hungry people and broken traditions.

[@michaelwilliams3104]

If they do it's due to either unchecked leftist policies, drug addiction (bad choices) or mental illness. I live better than royalty did most of the human existence on like 20k a year while raising children. Too many people are so quick to give up before they start and make excuses smh, that shits weak!

[@Cringe_department_15]

Idk if this guy is stupid or idiot or both

[@thomashogan9196]

The Soviet Union was described as third world poverty held together with a first world military.

[@thomashogan9196]

@@cringlator -Starved 20 million of its own people to death. -Constant shortages of basic supplies including shoes andtoilet paper. -Secret Police (NKVD) to control every aspect of life. -Controlled press outlets to make "Useful Idiots" believe there were no shortages in housing (people assigned to housing units without choice, sometimes multiple occupancy). -Worst nuclear disaster in world history due to shoddy workmanship and political appointed management instead of qualified leaders. -Trofim Lysenko ideology applied to agriculture set food production back 20 years. -Forced slave Labor for political prisoners. -Allied with Nazis for first half of WWII. -Invaded neighbors who protested colonization (Prague, Hungary, East Germany, Baltic States, Finland). Great history.

[@thomashogan9196]

@@cringlator But None of that is true. Guess you never heard of Chernobyl, Katyn, Kulaks, Gulags, Tass, Pravda, NKVD, Lysenko, Beria, Prague Spring, Hungarian uprising, Poland, Berlin Wall, JFK, and never met a Ukrainian.

[@NedyahFox]

@@cringlator that is all an illusion it’s healthcare was not on the level of any Western country. It’s industries were all declining. Its education systems were all declining and by the 1980s its economy was in terrible shape over 20 percent of its budget was spent on a military that was no longer needed

[@thomashogan9196]

@@cringlator Japan had the second largest economy. The USSR couldn't even produce enough to feed itself. The Soviets even bought food from China during the Great Famine because Mao Zedong was buying weapons to kill United Nations forces in Korea instead of feeding the Chinese people. Fantastic counties.

[@cringlator]

@@thomashogan9196 Come on dude I’m doing apologetics for the USSR, it’s not that hard to blow me out. You really can’t interact with any of the points I made? You have to just go to the standard list of warcrimes and state fuckups? I expect a counter-thesis not this amateur shit! 😤

[@paulferro338]

EDIT: I see I’ve triggered a lot of Russians with my observation. Good. I called Russia Mexico with Nukes to a buddy once, & he thought I was being hyperbolic until I showed him GDP & Per Capita.

[@yazidbougheda4257]

But life is not just GDP things actually function in Russia The Streets are safe and clean The transportation is good The subways are good The architecture is beautiful Ext.. ext..

[@jwadaow]

That is just not accurate. Look at Russia's annual industrial production and you will see that the GDP measures must be way off. Purchasing Power Parity is more indicative.

[@jtothed8575]

Good thing you are reтаrded, and never bothered to check PPP

[@paulferro338]

@@jtothed8575 I think you’re getting hung up on I used Mexico. If I used Canada, would you feel better that Russia isn’t as shitty as Mexico, but is still a shit bag dying nation? It’s estimated that 2/3rds of the money Putin thought was spent on the military was STOLEN. Perhaps that’s why Putin’s kleptocracy is in 25 *Months* into a war that was going to be over in 28 days! But PPP! We’re not Mexico! No, you’re not Mexico. Mexico is a growing, vibrant nation. Russia is a vodka addled zombie with a per capita less than Lithuania. I apologize for the insult to Mexico.

[@edgarorube3641]

​@@yazidbougheda4257you think streets are safe and clean in Russia? 😂😂😂

[@wenerjy]

Western journalism in a nutshell: (Country we dislike) did (positive), but at what cost?

[@proveritate1205]

All what she said is true and relies on available data, historical facts and current events on Russia.

[@biggamer7876]

The USSR was not a good place to live in if you weren't Russian.

[@crashstudi0s]

@@biggamer7876 I'm pretty sure it wasn't a good place for a lot of russians either. Still isn't.

[@crummyclub9344]

Nothing she said was wrong though?

[@questions6746]

YEP. I THOUGHT THAT TOO.

[@alehaim]

The British sure fought to keep their empire in Mqlaysia and Kenya

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

She 'the expert' could have at least googled it lol

[@alehaim]

@@Wolf-hh4rv I also forgot the British sure fought to hold onto the Suez Canal

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

@@alehaim they fought Eoka in Cyprus, Jewish and Arab militias in Palestine and some conflict in India.

[@friedrich_13]

She said "in most cases" and it was a in correlarion to France ans Russia

[@martincerny3294]

@@Wolf-hh4rv Do you understand the meaning of "most places"? You talk very confidently for someone who doesn't understand basic concepts or english for that matter.

[@ScottMcMaster-er4xj]

"There's nothing wrong with Mexico". She's clearly never been to Mexico.

[@javierhernandez2524]

Yes, all countries have their issues, Mexico included. No, she didn’t mean it literally, that there’s absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever with Mexico.

[@diegopena4773]

You missed the context khabibi

[@zorohibiki]

If you only look at the gdp and other economic indicators like she is doing here Mexico is kinda ok but yeah as a whole is a mess

[@davidgalindez4856]

I mean I travel to the US regularly from Mexico on a Tourist visa... I feel safer in Mex given the guns and crazy cops situation rn.

[@gerardoarballovazquez4725]

You clearly also have never been to Mexico

[@jeangingras4631]

Ireland has one of the highest GDP’s in the world and two thirds of it’s 18-34 crowd is living at home because of unaffordable housing costs. Nevermind the poverty and homeless problems. GDP growth does not mean anything to the ordinary Joe when it only reflects the speculative behaviour of the top 10%.

[@mjp152]

That doesn't change the fact that Russia's economy is the size of Italy's yet they act like they are a superpower.

[@jwadaow]

@@mjp152 You think Russia's economy is the size of Italy's? Russia is one of the word's largest energy producers and one of the world's major steel producers. It has an economy based on resources and industry that it doesn't need to import.

[@mjp152]

@jwadaow look at the numbers from the world bank. And while what you say about oil, gas and metals is true, all the infrastructure was built with western know-how and the russians have no way of maintaining it themselves.

[@ShogunLazo]

​@@mjp152yet after all the sanctions from the west, the west ended up suffering more, with Germany going into a recession, while Russia is coming out of 1 because of their massive wartime economy. Russia sells raw resources, the west sells money, comparing gdp is worthless in this case. The entire nato block produces shells in a year what Russia produces in a month... Russia has its faults but when it comes to their heavy industry and infrastructure for said industry they are a world power.

[@thebenevolentsun6575]

​@@jwadaowIn terms of sheer power though Russia isn't that strong.

[@linvesel]

“In Eastern Europe Stalin rebuilds and does quite well”. I love people that are open minded beyond imaginable extremes.

[@liamrmorgans921]

Can you elaborate

[@haroldb1856]

The Iron Curtain didn't build itself.

[@moshco23]

​@@liamrmorgans921 Holodomor.

[@liamrmorgans921]

@@moshco23 of course, and the rest of the famine and gulags,

[@moshco23]

@liamrmorgans921 Yep. Its all a part of that horrible events

[@merakidelta1288]

Ironically, they say the same stuff about the USA in Russia

[@warpigs9069]

I believe it. I'm just glad we talk about our flops rather than cover it up and let the problem fester

[@adriancollette7010]

The’re right. Many many many Americans are dirt poor.

[@classicalhollywood3254]

Russia just gives them self glory that’s it don’t give credit to the actual country’s like Britain and the U.S. and France. They killed their own people in ww2 in Gulags and many other reasons.

[@pedropinheiroaugusto3220]

The USSR lost 20 million people in WW2 and I can't fathom the wounded and scarred. Economists keep forgetting that economies are built by people.

[@kaiserwilhelmii1827]

Not to mention constant sanctions and embargoes imposed on them by the US and other western countries. Still, the USSR managed to provide free healthcare for its citizens for example - something the US is still yet to do despite being the richest country in the world.

[@Mahavishnu01]

So did Germany 🤷‍♂️

[@Mahavishnu01]

@@kaiserwilhelmii1827 what sanctions? alternative historying much? and there's not such thing as "free healthcare" ; you pay for it, one way or another

[@parkercushingable]

Right? Imagine losing 1/5th of your population of young people. This lady doesn't know what she's talking about

[@startledmilk6670]

@@kaiserwilhelmii1827the US doesn’t do universal health care because of health insurance lobbyists and wealthy people bribing officials. It’s also well known that Soviet healthcare was not the best, and to this day Russian health care is not the best unless you’re in Moscow.

[@ThunderGenesis]

The end killed me. 😂 “…they don’t.”

[@arminhergl5388]

Russia is the biggest small country in the world, economically. 😅

[@justintribble9087]

the seriousness of it 😭

[@dgfunds5893]

thats because she's a dumb Neo-con pulling the globalist line. Russia is a cultural nationalist country held together by people proud of mother Russia, the US is having difficulty getting their sports stars to stand for the national anthem !!!!!!

[@familyguycuts510]

economy don't makes you win wars. Whereas, Russian spirit is great try them and find it out yourself

[@hellothere6720]

So how is it, there, on the other side?

[@Rusikulya]

The 3 million dead in the Bengal Famine must be feeling strange about British leaving without a fight

[@samsca8529]

Well I see your point but they did peacefully hand over power in India still

[@dilipdk17]

They were forced to. If not for the WW2, the colonising would have continued.

[@edpink9724]

@@dilipdk17 And they engineered some classic divide & rule ethnic/religious tensions as they were leaving, correct? Its nice how the British always throw a hand grenade into the house as they are forced to leave.. Is this what led to Pakistan being split off from India?

[@BigDaddyButthead90]

​@@dilipdk17Japan would have replaced Britain, you would have got the Chinese treatment.

[@CrniWuk]

"There is nothing wrong with Mexico" Republicans : What did she say?

[@railtonfeagus8539]

The post WWII British attitude to peaceful decolonization can largely be attributed to Ian Mcleod, who realized that the UK couldn't afford an empire anymore and was determined that he himself be the last ever Secretary for the Colonies. He died tragically early.

[@David-bf6bz]

And the fact the US forced them to release their colonies

[@squatchfromearth4076]

And the world has tragically gone to shit since

[@vladstefan5216]

​@@squatchfromearth4076 Yes. Crimes, disease and war have drastically decreased since the good ol' days of colonialism, which is, as we all know, "shit".

[@squatchfromearth4076]

@vladstefan5216 yes I'm so glad that there has not been a single war in 120 years since the end of Colonialism 😂😂😂

[@vladstefan5216]

@@squatchfromearth4076 I'll take an average of 3 wars every year over 20 a year.

[@jorgeburgos6502]

Im mexican and wasn't expecting that punch out of nowhere lol.

[@CasualClassical]

I mean if you guys can figure out how to take your country back from the cartels maybe you’ll finally be able to capitalize on bordering the most prosperous nation in history. You guys should be putting Canada to shame but with a 5th of the population they are still outperforming you guys because of the crime situation. You’ll be a laughingstock forever unless you pull an El Salvador

[@aryub5851]

Because Gringa be gringa always

[@Mira-K]

I mean, Mexico doesn't claim some superpower status, doesn't claim civilisational superiority over actually older and more prosperous neighbours... So I'd say that was a compliment of Mexican realism and a jab on the Russian lack of one.

[@dimieneyitemi1721]

Lmao

[@dimieneyitemi1721]

Yes

[@Elsneakakaze]

Nationalism is fantastic as long as you stay in your nation, and the people in your nation.... are actually your nationals. And not infinity pakistani migrants.

[@warpigs9069]

Pakistanis aren't so bad. They hate the Taliban now. Ironic since they were the ones that originally funded them

[@AndrooUK]

Homogeneity is crucial for a stable and well functioning nation. The 'melting pot' is a lie. We see this over and over, with mini-nations of different groups growing within nations. Humans are tribalist.

[@godursolamehahaxd9909]

bottom 88th percentile IQ take

[@davidtogi5878]

I always cringed when people talk about nationalism with a degrading tone like its an archaic barbaric ideology. But when countries are in peril suddenly everybody wants nationalism.

[@wayward03]

Not only that but nationalism is not the evil people think it is.... Fascism and Communism are the evils.

[@thomashogan9196]

England fought and won dozens of wars to establish and expand its empire, including the 7 Years War, the Opium Wars in China, the Sepoy Mutiny, the Indian Rebellion, the Zulu War, the Boer War, all British victories. After WWII Europe, including England, was largely bankrupted and heavily indebted to the United States which did not support colonial powers retaining their old possessions. The American priority was to contain and suppress communism while taking former colonies on as trade partners. That meant separating them from their old colonial masters.

[@eddiesid1149]

England or Great Britain ?

[@daltongalloway]

Okay but that doesn’t change the fact that France did attempt to hang on to its colonial possessions. They even tried to get Algeria into NATO. France wasn’t going to let go without a fight, the UK was an American puppet state

[@mikefish8226]

​@eddiesid1149 Actually, it's neither, it's the United Kingdom.

[@thomashogan9196]

@@mikefish8226 The Limeys if we're being precise.

[@lewis123417]

Again the one problem with your theory......France exists and the way they dealt with the end of empire is markedly different to Britain. We were talking about the end of the empire, not the height of it, as with your examples above. And on your other point, America didn't actually have any direct involvement in the European empires dismantling at all 😂😂

[@drewbc32]

That switch she pulled at the end with that “they don’t…” is hilarious lol 😂

[@dgfunds5893]

again, she'd dumb leaving out so many other measurements. Hopefully her latent hatred of Russia will keep her warm at night when the light go out and the fires dim in her country, or maybe help with those teeth.

[@daniilKRasnov]

Fifth economy in the world. Self sufficient economy, controls pretty big chunks of oil and grain markerts, can overproduce entire NATO in some aspects of military industrial complex. Pretty big too me.

[@dmytrogalan1005]

​@@daniilKRasnov it's fifth because of the oil they produce yes, but that is the only reason Self sufficient? What aspect of the Russian economy is self sufficient? This fascist state still trues to import western supplies so badly What was the last thing you built without the westeners help? In What exact aspect can Russia overproduce nato? Scrap metal? 😂 This isn't the Soviet union, there's not some republic you can steal resources from get over it

[@oifikd1]

​​@@daniilKRasnovIt's smaller than Canada's even though Canada's population is about 40M and Russia's is 147M. And it's not 5th, it's 11th. India is 5th behind Japan, Germany, China and USA.

[@daniilKRasnov]

@@oifikd1 check GDP (PPP)

[@geekerella7296]

To the locals in the Indian subcontinent and in China it felt like they fought and massacred us. We mounted massive resistance to them. They only left after WW2 when they were broke. It's quite insulting to imply Britain left in a civilised negotiated way. It massacred thousands of us to hold onto our land. This is not only condescending and insulting, it's a lie.

[@Stefan-ht3tv]

Gosh golly, this woman nails it. Thank-you.

[@easternwind4435]

Economist tend to confuse standard of living and GDP. If I sell an unhealthy drug and a cure for the side effects, the gdp goes up while the standard of living goes down.

[@davout5775]

There is connection between GDP size relative to the population side which goes exactly the opposite to your example.

[@easternwind4435]

@@davout5775 Not sure what your saying but sounds like you talk about GDP per capita, which also affirms my example

[@kahaneck]

​@@davout5775 The world mightiest GDP is a complete dystopia. I'll keep my third world country standard of living: free health care, free housing, free higher education, actual mass transportation, strong labor rights. GDP per capita aint individual quality of life, b*tches cant even match my internet speed let alone recognize a proper diet.

[@greyfox4838]

This economist isn't dumb, she's just pushing western neoliberal propaganda. She's paid by American oligarchs and capitalists, she knows who butters her bread. She even tries to make Britain look smart, but her history isn't even correct.

[@charliebasar9068]

Yes, but the standard of living in Russia is still poor. It has higher levels of perceived corruption and a lower life expectancy, especially for men who are expected at birth to live 10 years fewer than Mexican men. It is of course, worth noting that Russia's HDI is higher than Mexico's, and much higher than a nation like China, so your point on GDP not being a phenomenal indicator of how people live is true to a measured extent.

[@JohnDoe-eo8ux]

Russia has around twice the GDP per capita than Mexico and has a way better grip on crime. To say that Mexico has a better standard of living on average over Russia is not accurate

[@LcdDrmr]

Standard of living of a country's population is not a good measure for its comparative strength. But then, neither is GDP. A fair percentage of the West's GDP's are based in their service sector economies. This was the "revolution" that severely diminished the West's industrial capacity. As a result, while Russia has deep resources and strong manufacturing capability, the Western nations struggle to supply Ukraine with weapons, mainly because they fear depleting their own supplies that cannot be rapidly replenished. This is why NATO won't oversupply Ukraine so that they can win the war, lest there is no actual victory and a weakened NATO becomes Moscow's next target. But can they just go on "keeping Ukraine alive" long enough to get their industries back on a war footing? The service economy works great in a peaceful world, not so much where the balance of power depends on physical force.

[@candycoral3804]

​@LcdDrmr literally making shit up about supplies... there's a specific stockpile of "can give away" that the U.S. has, it's not the "for us to use" stockpile lmfao

[@JustiKing]

Guess how much percentage of russia has indoor plumbing?

[@_erom_]

Not twice, barely 30% higher than Mexico GDP per capita. Which is still 4 to 6 times lower than that in developed nations. Considering Russia's natural resource reserves, their economy is among the most pathetic. There is no other state with so much potential and such a meager results.

[@philipwilliams456]

She seems to have good historical knowledge but isn't up to date

[@aj3751]

The way she ended with a stop dead laugh and "they don't" is too funny

[@pdmacguire]

The Russian economy IS big now, thanks to the boycots

[@victormugambi6083]

What does she mean the British didn't fight to keep its empire? Kenya had to lead a brutal 8 year maumau resistance to get them out, killing hundred of thousands of both colonialists and natives. And that's one colony.

[@XillyWonka]

"In most cases"

[@sharonprice42]

The Kenya uprising, 🇰🇪 Singapore was surrendered

[@anthonymort5202]

No that's not fighting not at all that's just a little disagreement

[@scottfoster3445]

Malaya emergency we fought our Vietnam inbthe 50s

[@Jonathan-Sund]

She views the world through American history books, it’s different 😂

[@jameshobbsiv4040]

I'm fairly certain Britain didn't leave the colonies without a fight in 1776.

[@josephcirilo547]

And lost, which is probably why they stopped doing that

[@atorsionx9406]

@@josephcirilo547 They didn't fight the locals in Singapore either. Edit: But that was relatively recently in the eyes of history.

[@Krackonis]

America was just France and Britain's war . America just forgets who actually won that for them... Ever hear of Lafayette?

[@seanhartel5362]

@@Krackonisdamn, which is worse? Losing to the colonists or losing to the French?

[@tommo9176]

they didn't fight in us Australia when all the states came together and pulled out but stayed in the Commonwealth. But then our Government did not treat the local government had a go at the local Aboriginal people. A real go :( She's 100% right about Nationalism though

[@admiralh3lio996]

She left out a pretty important reason why the Britain ‘let go’ of its empire.

[@Agropelter-700]

Or that France still controls parts of West Africa as a quasi-colonial administration.

[@dilipdk17]

And that is?

[@redbepis4600]

​@@dilipdk17bankruptcy

[@diglory89]

She is super eloquent. Had a good time learning a bit of history from her

[@realnapster1522]

😅 She made many factual errors.

[@jadedkaiju]

@@realnapster1522 lol no she didn't 😂

[@user-bl5dp7xs1t]

​@@jadedkaijuvery easy to use google, fact check for yourself

[@RuthvenMurgatroyd]

​@@realnapster1522 name them

[@Mirage-pz]

​​@@jadedkaijuyoure simping over an old karen? How low can you be?

[@Julius123456789]

Fun fact: Hardly any economist outside a G7 nation thinks you could compare GDP without bringing it to purchase power parity.

[@zuzz2216]

I was thinking the same. This lady obviously likes the smell of her own farts and isn't educated on the historic economic conditions & relationships of the 20th century. She sees history through neo-revisionist lenses

[@galaxy34470]

Precisely. Also USSR didn't have all these LatAm, African and Asian colonies to get cheap resources from (Africa sells a T-Shirt for $5 and US resells it for $35, therefore US gets +$35 added to GDP and Africa only gets +$5 to GDP).

[@stannumowl]

But you also can't compare GDP basing it only on PPP. Because it wouldn't be better. PPP is the metric for basics like food and shelter. GDP is about all the products. When we are talking about relatively poor countries you should bring PPP to be sure that they're not starving. But hi-tech has nothing in common with it. 1000$ phone will be 1000$ regardless on PPP. So PPP for basics, GDP for what's left after them

[@TomOkkaTom]

@@galaxy34470 The unfortunate truth is that Africans offer it for 5.00$ because if they ask for 6.00$, the Chinese will do it for 5.50$.

[@networknomad5600]

And when comparing purchase power parity, they’re all even further behind! Your point was?

[@wouterkessel4852]

The main problem colonial powers had wasn't the keeping in charge of the empire itself, it was international pressure and American threats in cases where they did so. For instance, the Dutch military won almost every engagement in their war in Indonesia, and had a sizable amount of local support, especially among minority groups because of how both the majority ethnic group and Japanese had treated them, but every time negotiations came about the USA forced the Dutch to give up a ton

[@rmdlgarcia]

To give up their slave state.

[@elduquecaradura1468]

​@@rmdlgarciayeah, is funny how in their efforts to throw shit at Unted States some people just side with the wrong side of humanity xD

[@aureate]

That's like saying that Nazi Germany collapsed because of international pressure and American threats.

[@toffeecrisp2146]

All the while, the Americans had not long annexed Hawaii, building vast military complexes there. Not to mention the Phillipines which they assumed control over in all but name, Puerto Rico, which still doesn't have a democratic voice on par with any of the states. The list goes on. People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones.

[@Hirohito_iLoveYou]

@@elduquecaradura1468damn that’s a good analysis/view on things

[@ScottMalkensin-xp7wf]

Someone who conflates nationalism with imperialism is not someone you should listen to. Just from that you can tell they either don't know what they are talking about or are pushing an agenda based on lies.

[@nedames3328]

Someone who says that once nationalism gets started, good look holding onto a far-flung disconnected empire, is just speaking the truth.

[@NautilusGuitars]

Yeah, my first thought was that nationalism and imperialism are not synonymous. Sure, some nationalist movements have been imperialist, but that's not at all a certainty. So it's weird to blatantly conflate the two.

[@jamesb7502]

She’s not conflating the two. She’s pretty clearly saying that colonial empires (imperialism) can’t hold onto their distant colonies once the colonized people have developed local nationalism.

[@PhoenixFires]

Did you even listen? She said imperialism fails when nationalism rises up among locals abroad to oppose the far-off empires that rule them.

[@JesusMagicPanties]

Nationalism is about hate towards other nations based on the belief that one's own is the best in the world. You are confusing nationalism with patriotism, which is just love for your country.

[@kylefallen8213]

I love this woman. Cold. Just the facts.

[@yam2050]

Communism failed to capitalism, but capitalism lived long enough to be exactly where communism was in 1991. Crumbling infrastructure, monopoly of a few people over the economy, shrinking of govt to two party and now trying to be one party.😂

[@josephbeccalori4970]

OK who owns the roads.....

[@yam2050]

@@josephbeccalori4970 in the past it was your govt, now private entities own them not all of them for sure. you lobby the person who can give you the green light for projects you own, so power basically sharnk to only a few hands.

[@yam2050]

killing competition is killing capitalism in a way, look at boeing for an example They are still the best out there but greed has kind of crippled it for the moment.

[@ezequiel6238]

Crumbling infraestructura? 😂😂😂 you are an american that has never left your little nice neighbourhood no?? come to south america and compare the infraestructure to see what is real underdevelopment bro

[@aureateseigneur5317]

​@@ezequiel6238I've been to parts of America that look like South America.

[@OxKingMusic]

Blaming the Soviet Union on the underdevelopment of Russia is laughable when you look at what the fall of the Soviet Union did to the socio economics of Russia.

[@DM-ur8vc]

Because it was doing so well before?

[@OxKingMusic]

@@DM-ur8vc relatively. The GDP of the former Soviet states dropped by 50% following the fall of the USSR. For reference, it fell by less than 25% during ww2 in which 27 million soviets died

[@drewwar9344]

​@@OxKingMusicThat's because millions of people had died millions of people had moved out of the soviet union

[@OxKingMusic]

@@drewwar9344 when? After the dissolution of the Soviet Union or WW2?

[@taserrr]

@@OxKingMusic You're naive if you trust those numbers. Not to mention the USSR was milking the non russian states dry, so when it fell you can no longer funnel gains from other states into its central state of russia.

[@MKUltraPill]

"Capitalism is the gentleman's form of slavery." -Kwame

[@Peacethroughstrength123]

For Russia, it’s not about growth. It’s about holding onto the land. They have different mentality. They have a population growth problem but that’s another issue.

[@pokefrosch617]

I wonder how the dead people in Kenya feel about Britain "leaving without fighting"

[@falconmclenny7284]

They are dead, so I assume they don't feel much.

[@pokefrosch617]

@@falconmclenny7284 your parents failed

[@TheAnthraxBiology]

Or Ireland, or Malaysia, or Zimbabwe, Zambia, and many many many more. When she said that, a genuine anger flared up in me. People have been killed by British proxy paramilitaries in my family, so to hear her say that the Russians and French held on but the Brits did it really really really pissed me off.

[@spacewargamer4181]

Also imagine Palestine people that died because of the fake state of Israel created by force by the British

[@jon9428]

@@TheAnthraxBiology are you African or something? why the extreme butthurt

[@lostonearth7856]

This is probably most evident by comparing Canada to Russia. Canada has an Economy and Economic Productivity that is roughly the same as Russia, butthe population of Canada is three and a half times smaller then the entire population of Russia. And its not just population, Russia also just has more resources then Canada, ready to be exploited by Russia. Yet Canada still has a similar economic size to Russia, even though its small compared to Russia.

[@Schizofre]

Because Canadians never faced any enormous economic and political disasters and their country had way better geographical position.

[@tylerclayton6081]

Canada’s economy is quite a bit larger than Russia’s. 2023 GDP of Canada is $2.2 Trillion. Russia’s is $1.8 Trillion

[@lasagnasux4934]

Canada never went full socialist, so that's a big part of it

[@monpacie1615]

@@lasagnasux4934 Eastern Europe has lagged economically behind Western Europe for thousands of years, socialism has nothing to do with it. Even if the communists had won in Germany and England in 1920s, and eastern Europe had remained capitalist, Germany and England would still have been head and shoulders ahead of the whole of eastern Europe in economic, industrial and production terms

[@lasagnasux4934]

@@monpacie1615 true, too an extent. However, as evidence by everywhere else that has adopted socialism, it exacerbates existing issues. It's like if you have an open wound and then rub feces on it.

[@villikuha7387]

She confuses nationalism with imperialism.

[@fanshaw]

I suspect she means "nationalism in the peoples of the empire."

[@AlextheRed1917]

A criticism of the Soviet Union from a non communist that isn't completely inaccurate and distorted? WTF is this? That's a fucking gem.

[@SergeyNeiss]

Russian citizen living in the US here. The everyday standards of living in Russia are generally comparable to the US, with some aspects of housing actually being better, newer, more convenient and advanced. It is also generally more safe. The US does offer much better wages and work opportunities, yet a lot of things are much more expensive, and having to file taxes is a nightmare. Where Russia does win over the US is the quality and availability of infrastructure, i.e. public transit, streets, roads. The country made an astonishing leap in this regard over the last 10-15 years, while the US seems to have stayed the same or have gotten worse. Where Russia does lose tremendously to the US is civil rights, property rights, and freedoms of all kinds.

[@FreelanceDev4life]

What do you mean "property rights"? What property rights are less in Russia?

[@pravak6745]

I love how so many Russians leave their country. Undoubtedly, their goal is to spread out all over the world to tell the world how great Russia is. They leave because obviously it is just TOO good.

[@casey2124]

Eh last time I was in Russia the roads were all shitted up and barely drivable. Those leaps and bounds were short comed and abandoned

[@LeadLeftLeon]

Balanced comparison

[@Schimml0rd]

​@@pravak6745 just like Americans.. It's almost as if it's not 1752 anymore where ppl die in the village they were born in without ever leaving the village boundaries.. 😂 It's called globalization 😂 Protip: look at the backside of your products, it says "made in China" (has been for the last 40yrs)

[@valdito_2123]

This lady knows about history the same as we do about aliens 🤣

[@nico144]

lol cope and seethe XD

[@robertagren9360]

Clearly the aliens knows more about this woman than we do.

[@samsca8529]

I mean she’s not entirely wrong she’s just making large generalizations which is often necessary when talking about these things. I still have beef with some of her points though

[@sotirmilivojevic6233]

All "science" coming from USA is propaganda.. Where's 74 genders coming from? That's all they do, start with conclusion and then find data path that will support their claims ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@marija6704]

This woman must be a counter intelligence agent. Impossible to believe she could believe what she's saying. Nobody is that ignorant.

[@stiglarsen543]

Any counter argument or are you just spewing nonsense?

[@margomoore4527]

Love listening to this lady. Very sharp and very succinct.

[@simondalton3726]

Britain didn’t fight for its empire? I guess she missed Malaysia, Burma , India, Pakistan, Palestine, Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands, etc. Rewriting history one post at a time

[@markadal]

Falklands is still British

[@simondalton3726]

@@markadal exactly my point

[@JackDSquat]

They didn’t try as hard as they could have in those cases besides Ireland and Falkland

[@simondalton3726]

@@JackDSquat I doubt the soldiers and civilians who were killed in those conflicts would agree with you

[@JackDSquat]

@@simondalton3726 I’m talking from historical perspective. Comparing to other empires through history Britain was more keen to give up its empire especially in Africa

[@gunzishere]

GDP is the worst metric to gauge a country's economic performance, lets stick to PPP

[@blankface5052]

PPP is for morons who think the economy of Indonesia is better than France, the uk, and many other western nations. Indonesia, a country where millions of children suffer from malnutrition. All it takes is a tacit look at the rankings to see it’s not at all indicative of standards of living.

[@redicity5884]

absolutely not. PPP is fine for measuring domestic economic performance but is, according to the IMF, "not the most appropriate measure for comparing the relative size of countries to the global economy, because PPP price levels are influenced by nontraded services, which are more relevant domestically than globally.". If you're comparing countries' economies to each other, which you are here, GDP is absolutely the better standard.

[@gunzishere]

@@redicity5884 GDP is great for counteries where exports and imports are equal in equal amount in money terms. Countries that rely heavily on exports usually keep their currencies weak to attract more exports eg China and Russia. So for them GDP is low but PPP is high and inflation remains low. Unlike USA where there are spikes in interest rates and inflation (or shrinkflation).

[@redicity5884]

@@gunzishere brother if you want to argue against the IMF go ahead, im not really bothered to get into an internet argument over something you're objectively wrong on

[@gunzishere]

@@redicity5884 Brother, Im not saying you are wrong, its just that GDP misrepresents wealth of nations, for example in Egypt you need 821% of an average salary to buy an iPhone 15 max while its 20% in Switzerland. But, this number would in reverse when it come oil.

[@cheeng1]

The difference in growth appears to be the fact we got off the gold standard and began devaluing cash, now $34 trillion in the hole.

[@AndrooUK]

Yep, when GDP is measured in USD and the USA prints lots of USD to buy bonds... really, why does the US Government even bother with taxing any of its citizens, when it prints all its spending money?

[@luishernandezblonde]

Russia has a gigantic territory but with an economy only contributes 2% to the world’s standard. It shows how Russia is.

[@4X10S]

Oh yeah, the good ol' "Nigeria with snow". Does Russia have as much crime? Can you get as good and cheap medical treatment there? Are there any good schools and higher educational facilities? Is there as much entertainment as in Russia, be it theatres, parks, skating, concerts etc. Can people afford a good living conditions without pouring over border fences? What I agree with is the title. Russia been feeding all the countries with their cheap resources and materials, the living condition in Baltic states was much better than in Russia itself. So many roads, houses and infrastructure built for them - yet everyone still talking bullshit about Soviet Union sucking money out of everyone to make their own life better. I for one live in Moldova, yet another disgraceful country that thinks they were under occupation in Soviet times, yeah those occupants built 70% of our buildings that still exist and being used to this day, hundreds of factories, all the roads, communications, sewers etc. Moldova used to take in x7 of what other republics received, now when we're finally free, and everything was stolen by our people in power, they claim it's all Russia's fault.

[@Lovin_It]

in the '50s and '60s, do you know the top three universities in the world by ranking?

[@4X10S]

@@Lovin_It Enlighten me, or you know, name me one of them where black people could get education. РУДН is the one (Russian University of Friendship of People)

[@Wheres-my-toes-bro]

@@4X10S A lot of my Uncle's and their friends went there, all spoke highly of it.

[@user-bl5dp7xs1t]

are you asking those things in regards to Nigeria, because if it's in reference to Mexico than you're absolutely uniformed 😂 I can assure you Mexico has all of those amenities, it's the United State's largest trading partner for crying out loud

[@user-bl5dp7xs1t]

and by the way, there are plenty of Russians currently crossing that same border illegally

[@shanemccabe7828]

Money is the answer. If the wealthy part of the population makes money from being part of an empire it will go forever. If their profits are threatened the poor will be mobilise to fight for independence. Swapping one master for another. It is the way.

[@msmith3537]

The way.

[@william6223]

Maybe governments are evil? We need the tiniest of governments which does not allow any entrenchment of partisans or bureaucratic mercenaries. The bigger the government the greater the corruption the weaker the People. Those whom love governments probably hates God and does not have strong familial bonds. Government becomes their god and family.

[@Apple-om5mr]

@@william6223If you want a tiny government go live in a commune or something

[@A-Clear_View]

@@william6223 more gov please the coumpanys keep thinking of new ways to extract money to the point it's ridiculess and i want to be rich to and even i think we nead more regulation on this

[@william6223]

@@Apple-om5mr gosh Tried that. I did 3 times more work than some of the others and the trustfundarians did nothing. Why should I have to work so hard for lazy people. Your beloved governments have a bunch of parasites and predators whom extract the Public's wealth. Your governments allows and supports the worse and inflicts harm on the best. Your governments allow great evil and force the people to be like children. No

[@johnjoannou4544]

She still lives in the 70s or 80s. The Russian standard of living these days is much better than the US with free medical care, free education, great communications and beautiful trains and metros while the US is falling apart

[@dmandal.jaalcar]

The reason that France tried to hold on to its colonies post WW-II could be because largely of hurt pride. Britain had a difficult time during the War but at least remained unoccupied, while France was overran by the Nazis and even cut into two pieces like any other weak Continental country. This could have been a damning shock for a nation which always counted itself among Europe's big boys, and the heir of the illustrious Napoleon.

[@boffinboy100]

Having been to Russia, I can say in some respects they have a better quality of life than me in the 🇬🇧

[@timg1246]

Then you are a liar.

[@boffinboy100]

@timg1246 if you say so... but petrol was cheaper when I went than in the UK, the PPP meant that even in the cities I could have quite an affordable trip. The few Police with whom I spoke (for directions) were polite and professional compared to last I ask the same from London cops who were abrasive and unhelpful etc etc., and unlike London the city was very much clean - I rarely saw litter and local crime was low due to regular police foot patrols (I can't remember the last time I saw a copper do foot patrol in my borough) - so by all means scream 'liar', it doesn't change what I saw

[@longmist6508]

It's not that Russia has higher standards of living. It's the UK lagging behind all other countries in europe, including Eastern

[@A_friend_of_Aristotle]

Been there too...and although you might not be lying, you don't know the truth.

[@boffinboy100]

@longmist6508 the problem with that statement is that the Russian economy booming compared to ours slowing means (as you have implied) there will be an overtake. Russia's economy I hear has overtaken Germany in size for example to be the largest in Europe. If two cars are racing, and the lead car slows down then ofc the overtake occurs, just as if the trailing car sped up. From what I saw when I went they are speeding up and from what I see in the UK we are slowing down. Having befriended several Russians, they are a very intelligent people, knowing quite a bit about history and able to speak other languages very proficiently to the extent I saw on one friend's phone he had not only Russian news apps but also BBC (English not Russian service), France 24, CNN etc. I saw a lot of modern cars, and yes in the city outskirts you get the soviet style apartments but equally in London you get the crappy 60s flats here too. People often also bring up the issue of 'how many houses have indoor toilets' and my friend in the US (who' in the Army) has also taken me on a virtual tour of his country on Zillow showing me all the crack-houses and crack-towns the US has. So a lot of this comes down to a 'snobbish-ness' and ignorance, and whilst I shall not deny Russia has its problems, from what I understand they are indeed working towards fixing them and doing fairly well all things considered. Hence why I say, in some respects, the Russians have a higher quality of life than me - because I'm struggling to have a high quality of life in London where everything costs a lot, people are ruder, the police are less helpful and abrasive, the crime rates are going up, and the city boroughs are full of graffiti and litter.

[@bogstandardash3751]

Seemed nice enough in st pertersberg when I was there a few years ago. People could afford their properties and the shops were full of food. The roads were full of decent enough cars and there were no yobs hanging around on the street at night. I'm sure it's not all milk and honey, but be careful of the yank who paints the west where people can't afford rent, heat and food as the winners, and Russia where they can as the losers. Just a thought.

[@A_friend_of_Aristotle]

Did you travel outside of the cities...into the greater interior? It sheds its 1st world appearance really fast.

[@bogstandardash3751]

@@A_friend_of_Aristotle no, I only went to st pertersberg. Just an observation from what I saw there specifically Vs what the lady is selling. Perhaps it's crappier outside of the big cities. I think the point that I'm trying to articulate nicely, is that in the west we bang on about being rich, yet in the UK at least, normal people cannot afford the lifestyle that's sold as the western norm. Essentially in Russia, if you can afford your rent for a family home, your food and your heating, and families in the UK can't.. who feels richer? Yes you can exchange the currency and it's more comparatively.. but on an extendable income basis after bills and tax, who can buy more of something like a big Mack which scales with currency value? I don't know if course, but I'd not be surprised if it wasn't the UK family.

[@lukeneill1568]

@@A_friend_of_AristotleI did, was there over Christmas, seemed nice, travel outside and it looked like the shit holes I see in America when I was there but less people living in tents. Same soft of ruins which almost of Americans live in. A shadow of what America once was. And most of Americas nice places are pretty piss poor compared to Russias which is saying something given the climate in which Russia has. Can see why America and Europe have done their best job to try kneecap Russias economy. With the land and resources they have there they could dwarf America. Though time is still young, America is failing and is significantly worse than when I was in America 8 years ago. So I assume the same thing will continue with America falling apart and Russia continuing to grow

[@PK-xu7gu]

​@@A_friend_of_AristotleHave you travelled to the North of the UK? Houses are boarded up with fake doors and lights to keep the squatters out. No real jobs, poverty, low living standards. Outside of the major cities and towns the UK is poor too. Don't cherry pick.

[@boomckickaboom]

@@lukeneill1568What are you talking about? 1/5 of all Russians live in homes without indoor plumbing… thats unimaginable in the West 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@masterludovicus802]

I've also learned that the Soviet Union wasted billions of dollars as well on projects that it started on very remote areas, some were never even completed and others were finished but abandoned just a couple of years later because it was too remote an upkeep costs made it unsustainable to hold. All that money and all those resources kept stretching them thinner and thinner so it compounded the problem

[@warcriminal3414]

KZbin shorts and Tik Tok are proof that you can record yourself saying any rubbish you think about subjects you aren't even qualified to speak about going on about it with some confidence and the gullible masses will swallow it up and think you are an expert

[@user-bl5dp7xs1t]

especially if it reaffirms their biases

[@beigegecko]

but the short is pretty accurate and it has triggered a lot of pro russian idiots 😊

[@evilbunny5]

What about this is wrong Mrs. Expert

[@paulyoder604]

She is qualified to give informed opinions on this matter. This is Sarah Paine, Professor of History and Strategy at the Naval War College. Ph.D. Russian and Chinese history, Columbia University. M.I.A. Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs with certificates from both the Russian and East Asian institutes. M.A. Russian Language, Middlebury College Russian School. B.A. Special concentration in Latin American Studies, Harvard University.

[@vermin9190]

@@paulyoder604cough cough Fucking demolished them.

[@mirekfarmer]

I've been to Russia ten years ago in rural Siberia and I would puck Russia any time over Mexico. Totally nice place and decent standard of living. Old lady not so smart.

[@mcnuffin1208]

I'm assuming you have also been to Mexico?

[@trujilloroldancarlosarturo4281]

​@@mcnuffin1208I'm from Mexico, life here is not bad if you were lucky enough to be in a family with a decent salary but public transportation sucks, health system sucks, safety sucks, paperwork is a pain in the ass sometimes, justice system sucks and the only good things are food and culture. I have hear some Mexicans experiences living in Russia and they say that is much better than Mexico in some senses but the weather really sucks

[@mcnuffin1208]

@trujilloroldancarlosarturo4281 lol yeah, don't move there EVER if you can't handle cold, rain, or mud. I like your explanation tho, which basically boils down to "it's okay if you're rich" which I can relate to in the US :/

[@trujilloroldancarlosarturo4281]

@@mcnuffin1208 I worked in USA the last year and visited Georgia, New York, Washington, SF and LA, definetely is not the best country in the world, racial segregation keeps being a problem, drugs are everywhere and is expensive af, a 3k salay per month will not be enough to survive there, mean while with 3k dollars per month in Mexico is like being rich.

[@user-bl5dp7xs1t]

but you've never been to Mexico, don't put down my country because the words of this american military asset offended you

[@michaelkeaton5394]

Tell me, if it was so doomed to fail why when they had a referendum in the USSR, for or against the dissolution of the soviet union, did a huge majority of the population vote against it ? But Gorbachev, who is probably burning in hell, disregarded this democratic vote and allowed shock therapy to happen, the soviet people went from having a free education, health care, social security, and decent life qualities, to nothing, in two month... In two months a young lady of the USSR went from having the possibility to go to prestigious scientific, literary or technical schools to having to sell her womb to be able to survive...

[@ArmaDino22]

You’re only partially right: it wasn’t Gorbachev who implemented the “shock therapy”, but it was Yeltsin and his oligarch backers. Gorbachev opposed all of this, just like he opposed the dissolution of the USSR. It got to a point where Gorbachev told Yeltsin that his reforms are too radical and he will never be the President of the USSR. To which Yeltsin told him: I don’t need to, I’ll just be the President of Russian SSR. And then he used his executive powers to secede and encouraged all the other republics to do the same. Yeltsin is the number 1 reason the ex-USSR space is such a geopolitical shitshow filled with constant civil wars and local conflicts. If you want to accuse Gorbachev of something, you can accuse him of being a spineless leader and being afraid of doing what’s right.

[@remixsparten98]

Who would've thought, the only national referendum in it's one-party system, rife with discrepancies history, that also usually delegated democraticly from a buissness and residential level, somehow wouldn't be representative of the coming collapse. 😮

[@hungryweebsg]

Britain be like: "damn you leaving? Erm I guess you can." France: "YOU LEAVE WE FIGHT"

[@konjurekatrina]

I spent a week in the USSR in 1985. I was on a tour in which we drove to Leningrad from Helsinki. We toured Leningrad for a couple of days. Then we drove to Moscow and stopped at some smaller towns on the way. Then Moscow to Minsk. It was absolutely a 3rd World country. You could tell immediately when we crossed the border into Poland. Poland was nice. It wasn’t 3rd world. It was practically like being in a Western European country. It’s interesting she spoke of Mexico having a bigger economy than Russia. Definitely people in rural Mexico have better access to goods and services than anywhere in the USSR. People think of 3rd World countries as not having tall buildings etc. The USSR had sturdy buildings. But only because it gets so cold in winter.

[@Fulgream]

На вашем месте, джентльмены, я бы не доверял этой женщине) Ее знания похоже чисто кабинетные и отстат от реальности

[@EkoFranko]

Да я вообще угораю с ее стандартов жизни, любой российский город-миллионник в разы превосходит по качеству жизни абсолютной любой американский город

[@MelindaSordinoIsLiterallyMe]

You're writing a comment in Russian under a English video. It's clearly you who is ignorant 😂

[@kogure7235]

As someone who has heard first-hand accounts of life in Soviet territories... There's a good reason for why so much of Eastern Europe is so underdeveloped. Their WW2 recovery didn't start until 1990's, when the actual occupation finally ended.

[@maximilianrobespierre8365]

You are Dutch metal head, the only heard encunter from the USSR you got is funny stories from a Moldovan escort, quit the crap, the gap between East and West is 1800s with Colonization and Industrialization, this is the reason for the South/North European gap as well, ever wondering why Portugal or Greece is on E.European level?

[@crazychase98]

It's arguable that thr Germans built an rebuilt a lot under there control then the soviets took back over an destroyed an stole every factory brick by brick. Anything thing the Germans built Stalin erased

[@bbpoisonn]

This is just straight up nonsensical. The reason for why so much of Eastern Europe is underdeveloped is because of capitalism‘s failure to modernise these countries. You have to remember that pre socialism these countries were literally hundreds of years behind the rest of Europe. Socialism made up for that in a few short years. So Eastern Europe‘s poor state nowadays is to blame on capitalism. Anything else would be plain ahistorical.

[@dallysinghson5569]

They're as socialist as they are capitalist.

[@jeangingras4631]

And the first-hand accounts are ? And the good reasons for Eastern Europe underdevelopment are ? Truth is. The 1990’s were Yeltsin promoted western friendly economic reforms that left ordinary Russians wanting (miserable). Except for the western oriented oligarchs willing to submit to western Wall Street, bankers and western hedge funds of course. Putin put an end to that and created a Russian revival. Since that time Russia is our enemy or an enemy of western oligarchs(one percenters) to be more precise.

[@cutoffsnakehead5202]

This lady has a whelt of information makes her that much more attractive 🎉🎉

[@gorillagus3852]

How can someone sound so knowledgeable and still be so wrong?

[@dbcopper10]

I'll go out on a limb and assume this isn't AOC's mother.

[@stomper-ls7hv]

Bahahaha 😂

[@anthonymort5202]

Democrat derangement syndrome

[@Simon1985_]

Her father?

[@Watcher413]

Could be her crazy dumb aunt that thinks she’s smart but just spoke utter gibberish

[@windowsvoov]

Rent free i see

[@kwagaec4890]

Clearly knows nothing about today's Russia, and it's not the USSR but typical American bs

[@itriedtochangemynamebutitd5019]

There are US states that are bigger than russias entire economy. You can't tell me the USSR wasn't in decline through 1970-1990's. And the 90's to 2000's weren't a chaotic time for Russia.

[@MariusH242]

Minimum monthly pay in Russia is $200. Sure, there are much higher standards in urban areas, but overall Russia does not have a such a large economy, especially considering its size and population.

[@lukeneill1568]

@@itriedtochangemynamebutitd5019it took America and the entire developed world to sink the ussr. They were going to overtake America with the richest country on earth at the time. Then America and Europe have been trying to sink Russia ever since and now they have gdp bigger than the likes of Germany. Just accept the fact that America and Europe have knee capped Russia and done their best to try prevent their growth because Russia won’t play ball, though now China will and China will soon pass America and be a shadow of what it was

[@thomaskaplan4898]

Thinks cost much less in Russia, so if Internet access costs an american $100 a month and a Russian $5 a month, who is wealthier? Comparing economies is not so clear cut. GDP is just one metric , which isn't actually all that useful. Besides if all the wealth in America is concentrated in the hands of a tiny percentage, how healthy is that. Take a walk through Moscow, then take a walk through Philadelphia and let me know who is rich

[@celloswiss]

🙈

[@samsca8529]

What this person leaves out is that the Russian economy tanked after the dissolution of the USSR. It also saw the biggest drop in standard of living any country has ever seen.

[@able34bravo37]

For being so unimportant economically, Russia sure manages to have a great deal of economic sway. The more I hear from this woman, the more unconvinced I am that she is worth listening to.

[@MMircea]

When a Soviet spy defected to the US in 1990 and was asked if their estimates of USSR's GDP being 35% of the US's , he replies: No Sir! It's 5%!"

[@thekaiser1156]

That's a dumb story and a pretty obvious lie. Mostly cause the Soviet GDP wasn't inflated by things like banking schemes, the comodification of housing and healthcare or the constant tax cuts for the rich who would buy more stock to make them more valuable than they really were. The Soviets built factories and those factories produced things, which is how an economy should work like.

[@thepotatogod2951]

Source: Trust me bro

[@scottjones8406]

Bullshit, it's the opposite at least now, the Russians are living better than we are,

[@vaevak418]

@@thepotatogod2951”the potato god” is pro russian. Peasants gonna pezz

[@thepotatogod2951]

@@vaevak418 ???

[@sergeivolkov3642]

Wrong on so many levels, it’s amazing how confident she sounds in the process, ohh I forget the PhD. Helps if you live your life in your academic bubble. I guess a lot depends on metrics you use.

[@casey2124]

Yet you can’t provide a slick of evidence to prove her wrong. Nice word salad though. At least her PhD has brought her success while the “second strongest military and economy” is barely holding onto a significantly smaller neighboring nation which was attacked by surprise

[@LeadLeftLeon]

In other words an airhead

[@JackBowman-vs6kv]

If you say something is wrong but don’t elaborate in the slightest, your opinion is immediately disregarded

[@sergeivolkov3642]

@@JackBowman-vs6kv oh well, let me try to abide by you high comment standards - as someone who grew up in both Soviet Union and United States. I would say that if our kind lady does take in to consideration the type of economy and society both countries used to be, prior to WW 1 and during WW2. And following from that- what tremendous socioeconomic changes that took place in these countries from 50 in to 70. I would state that Soviet Union has achieved higher gains - especially if you look at the socioeconomic conditions and capital. As I said above, it all depends on metrics. It is a rather wide topic to discuss in comments, I can only suggest, if you are interested to look into changes in levels of education of both populations, overall safety, confidence in retirement etc. p.s to say that Russia has lower standards of living than Mexico again has no basis whatsoever. Pure GDP numbers don’t tell the whole story, look at Ireland for example- one of the highest GDP in Europe, yet for the common folks the living costs are outrageous and buying power of average Russian on their 300-400 usd per month is almost identical to 4000 euro take home in Ireland. (Tested)

[@JackBowman-vs6kv]

@@sergeivolkov3642 I mean, I wasn’t exactly arguing with you on account of you not having said anything to argue with. Suggesting someone should say why they believe something is wrong, rather than just saying it is, is not by any means a high standard. If after reading everything you just wrote I replied with with something along the lines of “you’re so confident and yet so wrong” and then nothing else I’m sure you’d disregard that just as well

[@michaelray5023]

Russians: “Moscow!” Mexicans: “México!” Russians: “No…MOSCOW!” Mexicans: “…MÉXICO!” Russians: “Aight..I’m out.”

[@tokarev3094]

The transition to a Free Market economy has been disastrous for the post Soviet countries. "Taking Stock of Shock" by Orenstein and Ghodsee investigate the changes in standards of living and note the positives along with the negatives of a Free Market economy in these areas, but the results are quite damning for those who stand behind the "Washington Consensus".

[@danielbarrientos424]

GDP is a horrible metric for comparing countries, especially a socialist country and a capitalist one. It doesn't take any important factors into account like housing, unemployment, life expectancy, child mortality rates, etc. It accounts for none of the material conditions in that country or the quality of life for its citizens.

[@timg1246]

It does not claim to take thise things into account directly. But, the higher the GDP figure (specially per capita) then those other metrics tend also to to be higher. Communist countries, for some strange reason never allow those other things to be meaningfully measured.

[@mistermr2147]

Russia is not Socialist/Commumist by any means

[@danielbarrientos424]

@timg1246 Exactly, I agree with you GDP doesn't account for externalities, which is why its use is limited, especially when comparing two entire countries. So, it makes no sense for the clip to use GDP alone when comparing two different and complex nations that fundamentally work differently. To get a better picture, stats like caloric intake or housing levels make for a more informed comparison. And you don't have to take my word for it the CIA has public reports on those kinds of conditions in the USSR for anyone to read if you don't trust the Soviets own reports themselves.

[@charlietwotimes]

Russia isn't a socialist country and hasn't been since 1991. It was thrown to the wolves, quite deliberately, to destroy any opposition to US foreign policy. The Cold War has continued..

[@A_friend_of_Aristotle]

@@mistermr2147 Show me the difference between a Socialist/Communist authoritarian state and an authoritarian dictatorship. You can call a spade a hoe, but it doesn't change what it is.

[@awakenthewoke1091]

Her laughing at Russia in the nicest way possible is great

[@RedboRF]

she should laugh at herself, because shes saying total BS.

[@George.Andrews.]

​@RedboRF she's talking truth

[@RedboRF]

@@George.Andrews. I live in Russia, and I lived almost all over Europe, you unfathomable cretin, saying standarts of living in Russia are lower than in Mexico is not just stupid but outright ridiculous.

[@HedelTorres]

​@@RedboRFlol.. Living in a bubble..

[@Darkstar_Dayne]

She's just yapping

[@famousmwofficial8046]

The US has this idea that they have this huge economy but it's just Chinese debt 😂

[@morsmordre3]

Nice

[@TheMadHouseCafe]

I once drove into Mexico 🇲🇽 over that bridge into Tijuana once and noticed a small building a few yards from the entrance into Mexico. The sign on the building read: "Mexican Insurance" 😂 That's the automatic response 😅

[@dimieneyitemi1721]

I love how this lady switches between the USSR and modern day Russia as a slander attempt as if they’re in some way synonymous.

[@GIN.356.A]

Because thars what they want, they want people to just think USSR=Russia=bad forever.

[@Separatist777]

People who hate Russia and are stuck in the 1980's mindset do that

[@itsmeowtain8631]

I agree she has absolutely no idea what she’s talking about

[@eebox1]

USSR mightn't have been russia but it was definitly a russian empire the soviets had separated governments on paper but in reality they where all run from moscow

[@dimieneyitemi1721]

@@eebox1That’s not the point she was originally talking about the USSR’s standard of living and gdp and immediately flips to modern day Russias as if there’s any correlation between them when there’s obviously not, she did this because she knows that the USSR’s GDP and standard of living are incomparable to modern day Russia and its inability to reach the heights of the USSR despite it being over 2 decades since its dissolution and her narrative wouldn’t work without comparing Russia a country as capitalist as you can get to a communist nation.

[@Dr_Cosmobyte]

She just forgot to state that the standards dropped pretty low AFTER 1991. Russia nowadays is recovering from the USSR fall.

[@robertagren9360]

Not just USSR but entire Europe had to pay for the fall. Something they never mention. Why Europe has no afford to military spending and why USA is providing what Europe can't afford.

[@bosermann4963]

you mean they were good before 1991? then why did it all collapse? there's a saying that in 1991 the fridge defeated the TV for a reason.

[@Dr_Cosmobyte]

@@bosermann4963 Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, and I'm not willing to discuss Gorbachev nor the USSR story if the CIA is being used as font.

[@crazyguy3816]

Russia is still recovering from ww1 bro...

[@nikolayew]

Moscow is recovering … not Russia.

[@judybash9393]

I can listen to her all day

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Many have no objections to listening to BS all day.

[@godursolamehahaxd9909]

​@@LUIS-ox1bvthere is no world where your understanding of history holds a candle to what shes studied and worked on in her career. how the fuck do you people type shit like this without knowing who she is? please engage in high risk behavior.

[@my0.02cents]

I love the way she expresses herself at the end. The hubris of self. In what Russia thinks it is vs what it is.

[@arandomwalk]

What a load of bs. Lost me at Britain didn’t fight for her empire.

[@bellevueace6]

It didn’t. But what isn’t mentioned is that instead it converted its empire into a banking system, in much the same way as the Roman Empire converted itself Into a religion.

[@kyecypress]

It did but it didn't lose an independence war other than with America. It squashed rebellions in Malaysia, Kenya, Brunei, Somalia, Sudan, Oman etc - it strategically let the colonies have independence but made sure friendly governments took their place. It was never kicked out of any colony via military defeat.

[@michaelmccomb2594]

@@bellevueace6Someone been watching Jimmy Car?

[@Philip5478]

​@@bellevueace6 Strange, a lot of military action and rebellions say otherwise 😂.

[@bellevueace6]

@@michaelmccomb2594I think his name is spelled differently. Surely though you don’t think he was the first to come up with that? You know who said that first……surely??

[@devkrovil9331]

Just don't ask who was sponsoring the nationalist sentiment in these countries.

[@Apple-om5mr]

Mostly the Soviets, and a decent lil bit from America in some cases

[@ElHolyBoy]

Let me guess. You're going to blame Jews. Very original.

[@devkrovil9331]

@@ElHolyBoy The CIA, because they literally admitted to doing so.

[@QurttoRco]

​@@ElHolyBoy you need to learn history buddy.

[@ElHolyBoy]

@@QurttoRco teach me o sage one!

[@thatoneguyeveryoneknows3440]

"Theres nothing wrong with Mexico" lol that sums up this opinion

[@amh9494]

It's always confused me that everyone goes on about how evil Britain was and just forgets about France, they were way worse, had terrible wars rather than leaving and still hold much of North Africa in a financial stranglehold.

[@calcariachimera]

Us Brits were the first to just land on someone else's land and say..."Do you have a flag?"...if no, you do now!" and also the first to just talk our way out of ownership lol..."Very sorry about all this, um, we'll just go now, you can keep the flag" lol

[@Verkinggettorix]

People have been invading and conquering land for all of history the Brit’s definitely weren’t the first to do that….maybe the first to leave like that tho ha

[@galaxyfrog7983]

I am still reeling from the fact Ireland is hotboxing money faster than it can build houses after being a deadweight in the EU. Very impressive

[@anthonyernst999]

Charlemagnes' entire empire was formed and fell all before England even existed. Then there's the Romans who took lands outside of Italy to the point where the majority of the empire was outside of Rome. Oh, and Genghis Khans empire rose and fell before England had Scotland

[@calcariachimera]

@@anthonyernst999 Just to let you know, I'm joking, lol

[@anthonyernst999]

@@calcariachimera OK I just like history so any chance to talk about it is taken

[@justinskinner3106]

What happens when u lose 20 million men in a war and your competition walks away without a scratch and a bigger economy

[@bruhbruk4568]

When you have 0 regard for your people or for your country you are entirely at fault for the 20 million that died, not Germany, the soviets are responsible for their dead

[@angelcabeza6464]

huh i didnt hear no complaining when the soviet union took 20k American tanks for the effort

[@severusrigel3734]

​@@angelcabeza6464 Is that even relevant to the fellow's point? You sure you don't want to like...read what he said again?

[@Schimml0rd]

I THINK germany was hit harder by ww2, just a GUESS tho.

[@subimaginos]

27 million Russian /Soviet losses. They inflicted 80% of military casualties to Nazis (UK, US and other allies did the remaining 20%). American involvement in WW2 is very small compared to Russian. In comparison it can be described as tourism

[@daveanderson3805]

The reason the Soviet economy stagnated and eventually collapsed was that every ruble they had went into the military. The Russians had tanks and missiles and planes, but they had not even the semblance of a reasonable standard of living

[@kingofbears6999]

"Theres no way to hold onto a non-contiguous empire post nationalism" 1940's Germany: " *Easy fix, just remove the groups that are stopping us from being contiguous* "

[@kestrel09]

Britain didn’t want to be relinquish Egypt (Suez Canal) but were made to by the US.

[@michaelmccomb2594]

It was control of the Suez Canal they did not want to relinquish, after Nasser broke terms with their treaty. And when it came to fighting (as he is talking about) the Suez war was a military success for the UK. It was just a political and economic disaster because the US sided with Nasser

[@jocularpaddy]

As I understand it France and Britain paid for the construction of the canal and thought of it as a business investment. .

[@lewis123417]

Yeah American foreign policy has been in the gutter since the end of the second World War

[@tomriley5790]

To be more precise the British didn't want to give up the Suez canal (owned by Britain), they were happy for Egypt to do its own thing. Generally think Britain should have told the US to get stuffed in 1956.

[@sunmoon1234]

If copium was a person.

[@homomilleumbrae]

Found the putin simp

[@dontneedtoknowmyname.6828]

Copium is all the Russians have these days lmao

[@sunmoon1234]

@@homomilleumbrae atleast putin is winning the war against the whole NATO.

[@homomilleumbrae]

@@sunmoon1234 A war which was unnecessary, only further ruined the conditions of his already struggling country.

[@sunmoon1234]

@@homomilleumbrae struggling country? By all metrics Russia is better than USA, you will not find homeless and drug addicts in Russia like you find everywhere in usa. Crime rate is very low in Russia. People are simply more happy there.

[@dbyers3897]

England didn't fight to keep their colonies? They just left? Tell that to the Irish & the Americans.

[@Iwuvmafamatix2]

I really like this lady. She's really interesting.