Remember the Fall of the Berlin Wall (November 1989)

[pach]

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/09/berlin.wall.anniversary/index.html
How old were you in 1989?


Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the ubiquitous symbol of Communist oppression in East Germany in 1989.

IT would take only a matter of weeks before the Communist gov't would resign and East and West Germany reunited.

[*Astaris*]

Fall of Communism. The iron curtain was broken that time and many East Berliners were relief to able to visit they're relatives to West. The cold war nearly made WWIII during the time it was made, roughly in the 60s?. And my dad did remember during that time how people were scared the hell out when they read the newspapers of the conflict of USA and Soviet Russia.

About the issue, many people were shot trying to cross the border to the West. I read a lot about these and its sad to think that communism would help people but its rather the opposite. My dad even went to the East Berlin during the 70s and he said there was a lot of difference compared to West. They were deprived of consumer goods and proper living.

[pach]

That is very true.

And on closer inspection, Communism in practice was very far from Communism in theory, assuming that Marxism is correct in its self (which unfortunately still isn't)

My dad also went on a tour of Moscow and Leningrad, also in the 70's and he observed the very wide gap between two groups of people, the proletariat (common people) and the nomenklatura or the Soviet elite (politicians, generals, scientists and artists and their respective families)

While the proletariat had to form bread lines and had to wait for hours before getting essential goods, the nomenklatura had a special 'duty free' store reserved for themselves and tourists visiting the Soviet Union.

The communist government also issued two currencies, one for ordinary people which has a weaker purchasing power and another for the elite, to buy imported and much sought-after goods.

The Communism that promises justice, equality, freedom and an earthly paradise is a lie, it's a very bright shining lie you'd ask yourself and just wonder why we still have communists in this day and age, specially here in the Philippines.

[*Astaris*]

Wow, thats interesting to hear your dad visited in Moscow during that time! But now if you look at Moscow, its the most expensive city in the world. And its because they stop using that type of government. Quite amazing how back then it was poor and now its like expensive.Ironic. Europe back then was nearly eaten by communism as far as I could remember in History books.

And Stalin was such a sick bastard. He killed his close associates, and people all because he thinks they are unfaithful to him. He sent them to either Hard labor camps, tortured and murdered. Its around millions he killed! I tell you, his worse than Hitler when I think about it as a dictator!

Also a good allegory about it is The Animal Farm. My dad gave it to me and I thought it was a kiddie story but no!! It actually is about how animals are like the peasants and the pigs are the rulers on Communism. Quite sad, if you tell me and true. A must read if you want to know more of the bad vibes of it.

[pach]

He was then studying at Uppsala University in nearby Sweden, so he had an access to Eastern Europe

Oh yes! Moscow is just as expensive as Tokyo and London, but they say it's very dirty and uhm, mejo kurakot din daw lol.

Europe, even Asia, considering that Central Asia was part of the Soviet Bloc. And in the Far East, look at China, Korea and Vietnam. Even the Philippines had her share of Communist insurgency that rages on to date.

Iosip Vissarianovich Iugazhvilli - a.k.a Joseph Stalin was way more psychopathic than Hitler. He was the one who said "One death is a tragedy. One million deaths is a statistic" lol. Around 40 million under his reign. Stalin was not the only person though. His henchmen were just as savage. If you've got the time, you can look into Lavrenty Beria who was the head of the NKVD, Stalin's secret police.

Oh ye, by George Orwell. Good you have read that. I haven't. Thanks for reminding me to look that up in the library

Hmm. You're smart. I am impressed.

[GlamorousaChiq]

Stalin was really a ruthless leader. If you'll look into Eastern European literature, they pictured their life during Soviet regime. It was really hard and strict. And not to mention what he did in Ukraine. There was massive famine and it killed millions talaga.

[pach]

Stalin was really a ruthless leader. If you'll look into Eastern European literature, they pictured their life during Soviet regime. It was really hard and strict. And not to mention what he did in Ukraine. There was massive famine and it killed millions talaga.

Right. This is the inherent problem in communism: the system simply cannot allow itself to have concern on individuals.

It just always has to be the longterm big picture, and so they never cared about human life, dignity and the establishment of a welfare state.

That explains why Soviet economics for example, focused on heavy industries like steel, weapons, aircraft and ships, but very little on refrigerators, clothes or even cars.

The massive famine you were talking about is a perfect example. Stalin ordered the government to take all the harvest from the farmers in what was called "collectivization". What resulted was a severe shortage of food. The harvest that the government seized from the farmers was exported to western countries in return for weapons and machines. See how selfish?

Kaya I'm wondering why our Filipino farmers are against Capitalism and are even supporting the NPA in the mountains. They have no idea that if the Communists would govern the Philippines, the same thing might happen to them. 

Did you know why China has to impose a one-child policy? Due to over-population. It was because during the time of Mao Tse Tung, the government encouraged mothers to have an incredibly huge number of children. And for what reason? When the world goes into a nuclear war, so goes their reasoning, America and Russia would only have a few thousand left alive, while the Chinese would still number in the millions to finally take-over the world. Pretty clever huh? 

Look at China which is a Communist country, they eat babies. Stalin killed 40 million people. Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea is responsible for the mass starvation in his country until now.

For them, everything is based on numbers and measurement and results. And we should not be surprised because this stems from their wrong view of reality.

[*Astaris*]

^Wow, you have a huge knowledge than I am!  I agree to all what you say! I had always had an interest with 20th century history, especially WWII and the cold war.

[pach]

Oh, so that explains it! For a young person to be interested in WWII and Cold War literature is a rarity nowadays!

Happiness, happiness 

Try watching "Autumn of Change" on CNN. It's a documentary about the countries under the Iron Curtain (such as East Germany, Romania, Poland) that finally regained their freedom.

[highflyer23]

I Remember my Uncle during the mid-80's as the Soviet threat of Nuclear War was nearing , he was a US navy seaman at that time , The Fourth US Naval Fleet in the Pacific was in constant red alert so they warned the entire crew aboard  to stand guard against soviet sattelites and ships approaching US territory.

He Says It scared the hell out of Americans in the west coast,
fearing a Soviet Invasion most likely a worst scenario we can ever imagine in the 80's( remembering "red dawn").
 Two Super Powers struggling for World Domination would only destroy humanity, and did you know all 50,000Nuclear warheads of this Countries is enough to flatten the Earth?
 
Good thing Communism fell in 1989 and the Soviet Union ehemm.. Empire broke up, the world saw it as a great Russia defeat and left the US the sole Super Power in the World.. until now.

[Puppet Heart]

Well, politics is not my forte, but I think Communism is only effective if applied on a global scale. But even so, those suppression of human freedom issues will still arise.

I wonder when humans will come up with a better political system?

[highflyer23]

It Depends on every people who wanted a different kind of govt. and benefit for their own, Most prefer Fame and glory than their own country first, but the rule of law and civic nationalism kept a declining country from chaos. Just like Shakespeare said,
"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players"
Its every man for himself in my opinion...

Ever heard of accusations that Obama is a socialist?
the republicans are wiling to oppose him down in his every move or speech as president, .. no wonder many people hate him..
 
I kinda miss the Soviet Union when its influence in the World stage can balance the Power between Capitalism and Socialism.
It posed a challenge to US imperialistic policies and made the Third World Countries think twice before bowing to Uncle Sam.(or before its all too late?..)

Even the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sadly remarked two decades after the Dissolution of the USSR, that the Breakup of the Soviet Union was a big mistake!
Now look at whats happening at Russia, it suffered an economic crisis years after, and from 290 Million people from 1989 it blew off to 143 million this year! more of its  people are dying than those being born.they all blame it on Gorbachev

tsk.. tsk... tsk.. Poor Russia-The Red Bear is collapsing.

[pach]

I think that, on a very human level, there can be no "best" political system, even if that arises, no such political system can solve the problems of the world.

I believe it takes more than politics and economics to touch the core of human suffering - the quest for unlimited satisfaction which no material effort can quench.


@ Highflyer - lol, yeah, I pity Russia. You know used to experience these feverish movements in my body when I watch those Soviet Military Parades @ youtube 

It was a very powerful country back then. tsk.

[Puppet Heart]

And that is exactly why I prefer Natural Science over Political Science. In Natural Science, there are hardly any multiple answers.

I wonder, then, what would our next political system be?

[pach]

Well, gusto ko lahat ng tao walang pag ma-may ari, walang away at walang damit!

Back to the pristine environment of the Garden of Eden!