The restoration of capitalism in the Soviet Union, and the collapse of communism in the USSR, had a far more horrific cost than most in the West know, or can even conceive.
It's interesting that Russia defeated the Nazis then almost immediately after the war ended, Russia went from ally to enemy 🧐 I really think the US helped Hitler rise to power and then instigated WWII. Ignored the war until being bombed by Japan. Which the US was warned about and did nothing to prevent🤔 Europe was bombed to rubble and the US became essential to their recovery. Becoming a global power because of that. I also think the fascists won because look at the state of the world today😢
It now seems obvious that a huge social shock like a sudden change to capitalism would result in massive deaths. Now that you illustrate it. But truly, I had no idea until you turned on the lights. I weep for the Russian people as I also weep for all people treated like disposables.
What do you make (if anything) of Jeffrey Sachs' recent efforts to rehabilitate himself by claiming he was actually opposed to shock therapy all along, but no one in the '90s would listen to his warnings? While I agree with Professor Sachs on some issues, I honestly find him a bit oily and feel he's trying to pull an Albert Speer act in regard to his responsibility for what happened in post-Soviet Russia. Am I too cynical?
It's an excellent question. I address it obliquely in the article, where I suggest it's unlikely someone working at his level — an adviser to Yeltsin, no less — didn't know what was going on. I think he genuinely now understands how close we are to a nuclear war from US aggression, but I don't think he's come clean on all he knows from his Russian misadventure.
It's interesting that Russia defeated the Nazis then almost immediately after the war ended, Russia went from ally to enemy 🧐 I really think the US helped Hitler rise to power and then instigated WWII. Ignored the war until being bombed by Japan. Which the US was warned about and did nothing to prevent🤔 Europe was bombed to rubble and the US became essential to their recovery. Becoming a global power because of that. I also think the fascists won because look at the state of the world today😢
It now seems obvious that a huge social shock like a sudden change to capitalism would result in massive deaths. Now that you illustrate it. But truly, I had no idea until you turned on the lights. I weep for the Russian people as I also weep for all people treated like disposables.
What do you make (if anything) of Jeffrey Sachs' recent efforts to rehabilitate himself by claiming he was actually opposed to shock therapy all along, but no one in the '90s would listen to his warnings? While I agree with Professor Sachs on some issues, I honestly find him a bit oily and feel he's trying to pull an Albert Speer act in regard to his responsibility for what happened in post-Soviet Russia. Am I too cynical?
It's an excellent question. I address it obliquely in the article, where I suggest it's unlikely someone working at his level — an adviser to Yeltsin, no less — didn't know what was going on. I think he genuinely now understands how close we are to a nuclear war from US aggression, but I don't think he's come clean on all he knows from his Russian misadventure.