- ON REVOLUTION
- TRUTH ABOUT SOVIET UNION
- SOLDIERS CHOOSE SOCIALISM
- Bakunin and Marx: Shadow and Light
- ACTIVIST SONGS
- US WAR CRIMES IN VIETNAM
- WHAT PEOPLE IN EAST EUROPE THINK ABOUT SOCIALISM
- THE PEOPLE'S WORLD
What People In Western Europe Think About SocialismMany years have passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Historians of all ranks argue about the significance for the generations to come of this great social experience, which spanned many nations, many decades, endured two world wars and forever changed the world we live in.A way to proper understand it is to ask the real people, who lived under socialism (often incorrectly called communism) in the countries of the former Soviet block. Because they lived under both socialism and capitalism, they have the ability to compare the two systems and testify to the world what they have learned. Separate different public opinion research agencies went ahead and did a thorough research on this matter, making their results public on the web. Here is what was found: 72% OF HUNGARIANS FEEL LIFE WAS BETTER UNDER COMMUNISM A remarkable 72% of Hungarians say that most people in their country are actually worse off today economically than they were under communism. Only 8% say most people in Hungary are better off, and 16% say things are about the same. As in much of Central and Eastern Europe, Hungarians are clearly disenchanted with political elites. Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) said politicians have benefited a great deal or a fair amount from the changes since 1989, but only 17% believed ordinary people have benefited. And concerns about corruption are common — 76% said corrupt political leaders are a very big problem in Hungary. Source: Pew Research Center 57% OF EAST GERMANS FEEL LIFE BETTER UNDER COMMUNISM Today, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, 57 percent, or an absolute majority, of eastern Germans defend the former East Germany. "The GDR had more good sides than bad sides. There were some problems, but life was good there," say 49 percent of those polled. Eight percent of eastern Germans flatly oppose all criticism of their former home and agree with the statement: "The GDR had, for the most part, good sides. Life there was happier and better than in reunified Germany today." Source: Spiegel Online FORMER SOVIET COUNTRIES SEE MORE HARM THAN GOOD FROM BREAKUP Reflecting back on the breakup of the Soviet Union that happened 22 years ago next week, residents in seven out of 11 countries that were part of the union are more likely to believe its collapse harmed their countries than benefited them. Residents who say that "most people" in their country are afraid to openly express their political views are more likely to say that the collapse harmed their country than those who say that "no one" is afraid. This suggests the freedom they thought they might have after the fall of the Soviet Union has not materialized -- and in some cases, the situation may be even worse. Source: The Gallup Organization 66% OF RUSSIANS SAY LIFE BETTER IN SOVIET UNION A 55%-majority agree with the statement: “It is a great misfortune that the Soviet Union no longer exists.” Views on this question have been relatively steady since Pew Research first asked it five years ago. In 2009, 58% described the collapse of the USSR as a great misfortune, and 50% expressed this opinion in 2011. Source: Pew Research Center Question: Do you regret the collapse of the USSR? (one answer)
SERBIA POLL: 81% SAY LIFE WAS BETTER "DURING THE TIME OF SOCIALISM" According to the poll coordinator Srecko Mihailovic, “what seems to be most disturbing” in the answers is that 23 per cent of respondents think that Serbia is governed by criminals, 18 per cent believe that the country is run by the president, the government and parliament, the same percentage believe that the country is run by owners of large companies, while 12 per cent think that Serbia is ruled by “the international community”. By saying that life was better in socialism than it is now, the Serbian citizens primarily refer to better economic situation and standard of living, but the majority of them would not go back to that period. Mihailović said that similar results were obtained in other post-communist countries, as well as in some post-dictatorship regimes, adding that there are various reasons for this. The poll was conducted by the Center for Social Democratic Studies (CSSD), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation and Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) Source: Balkan Insight 53% OF ROMANIANS WOULD GO BACK TO COMMUNISM IF GIVEN THE CHOICE In an overwhelming majority, Romanians believe that in politics they steal and lie. As for our European future, 64 percent believe that Romania is on the wrong path, 27 percent see us outside Europe, while 53 percent would return to communism. Source: Romania Libera  
More than half of Ukrainians regret Soviet breakup More than half of Ukrainian residents regret the break-up of the Soviet Union, an expert from the Research & Branding Group said on Wednesday, citing poll results. "More than half of Ukrainian residents (54%) agree that the Soviet Union should have been preserved, although every third resident (33%) has a contrary opinion," . Source: Research and Branding Group |