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?
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.