I was always under the impression that Gorbachev was a naïve optimist who tried to reform the USSR too rapidly, but failed. So how exactly did he screw up and how could the USSR have been saved?
I was always under the impression that Gorbachev was a naïve optimist who tried to reform the USSR too rapidly, but failed. So how exactly did he screw up and how could the USSR have been saved?
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The more I learn about AES states, the more I think the key to success in early stages of socialism is for central planning the "big stuff" and letting regulated markets (like taxi drivers in Cuba) just do their own thing.
The commanding heights of the economy
yeah i think it's a mistake to target the big bourgeoisie and the petit bourgeoisie with equal vigor early on. seems like misplaced priorities at best.
Shifting the petty bougs in to workers coops or other democratic workers enterprises seems like a good move. Workers seem pretty capable of handling their own enterprises given proper support.
https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/sino-soviet-split/cpc/hedp.htm
The same is true with cities by the way. Plan the subway systems, bikeways, streets, freight delivery, utilities, etc, but if you try to centrally plan every building in the whole city you're gonna have a bad time.
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AC can literally be a lifesaver and is a must for large shared spaces, but an electric fan and shade is good enough in most conditions. I've relied on just electric fans for most of life in the southern US, and still only rely on one when I'm sleeping and it stays comfortable even when the temperature inside climbs up to around 90F (32C).
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The air just moving over your body is huge at higher temps (that are still lower than body temp).
This sounds halfway between keynsianism and total state monopoly or do i misunderstand?
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thanks for the thoughtful response
I found this part particularly interesting because it shows that the soviet economic policy had a lot more nuance to it than it is generally given credit for.
There's some relation to dirigisme economies but as granit points out the state has much more involvement and the small businesses need to be structured according to solo sole trader or co-op models.
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