Ukraine’s deindustrialization since the fall of communism is incredible.
In 1992 Ukraine was the industrial powerhouse of the USSR, with manufacturing holding a 45% share of GDP. By 2022 that share declined to just 8%, with Ukraine transformed into an outpost of American agri-business. One whose only remaining industrial policies were to sell off what was left of state enterprises while praying to become the cheap place for Western tech to outsource.
I always find it funny when Ukrainian nationalists point out how Soviet Ukraine did this and that, how it was powerful, how its people were engaged in important battles in WWII, how they had plenty of industry. Of course they were. They think they’re bragging and owning you, but that’s only the case if you think USSR = Russia and not a multi ethnic country. Really it’s more of a self own because it reveals how much the country flourished under le ebil commie dictatorship and how much it suffers under freedom capitalism.
Before the invasion they did account for some huge % of the world's grain supply though? Like I know the idea of "bread basket" is loaded w/ imagery of a post ww2 agrarian boom or something, but in this case it just means "Ukraine used to be where a lot of cheap food came from" but it turns out it's kinda hard to maintain strategic resource production when you're a war target and strategic needs dictate turning arable land into minefields or w/e
But that's exactly my point. You're right, but that's why I tacked it on the Parenti post. How could Ukraine be the breadbasket of the world but still suffer from poverty to that extent? Their exploitation is obvious but it's the exploitation liberals are blind to.
Resources of Ukraine? Pre war 3rd poorest country in Europe? Hmmm. Could it maybe be... not poor but overexploited?
Ukraine’s deindustrialization since the fall of communism is incredible.
In 1992 Ukraine was the industrial powerhouse of the USSR, with manufacturing holding a 45% share of GDP. By 2022 that share declined to just 8%, with Ukraine transformed into an outpost of American agri-business. One whose only remaining industrial policies were to sell off what was left of state enterprises while praying to become the cheap place for Western tech to outsource.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.IND.MANF.ZS?locations=UA
Insert Eric Andre killing Hannibal meme
USA (eric) shooting Ukraine (Hannibal)
"Why did communism do this?"
I always find it funny when Ukrainian nationalists point out how Soviet Ukraine did this and that, how it was powerful, how its people were engaged in important battles in WWII, how they had plenty of industry. Of course they were. They think they’re bragging and owning you, but that’s only the case if you think USSR = Russia and not a multi ethnic country. Really it’s more of a self own because it reveals how much the country flourished under le ebil commie dictatorship and how much it suffers under freedom capitalism.
3rd poorest country in Europe, "Breadbasket of the world"
Before the invasion they did account for some huge % of the world's grain supply though? Like I know the idea of "bread basket" is loaded w/ imagery of a post ww2 agrarian boom or something, but in this case it just means "Ukraine used to be where a lot of cheap food came from" but it turns out it's kinda hard to maintain strategic resource production when you're a war target and strategic needs dictate turning arable land into minefields or w/e
But that's exactly my point. You're right, but that's why I tacked it on the Parenti post. How could Ukraine be the breadbasket of the world but still suffer from poverty to that extent? Their exploitation is obvious but it's the exploitation liberals are blind to.