Communism - what you think about it?

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Morian

occupier is wondering - how can you know this? from tv?

Exactly! The funny trick of communist leaders was, that people in the Soviet Union belived they were sponsoring PL, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, DDR, etc. and people in those countries were sure they were sponsoring the Soviet Union. In fact we were all sponsoing the "leading class" and the unhealthy economic system, non-voluntarily of course.

Besides, it's absolutely irrelevant to talk about categories of "rich" and "poor" in states where there was no real money. Somebody could be quite well-off in his own country, though the currency was irreversible.

Thus speaking of savings and economizing in case of communist instituons, especially military ones is a pure nonsense. Should they have any financial problems, more money would have been printed for them

[Morian]

Originally Posted by Rona

In fact we were all sponsoing the "leading class" and the unhealthy economic system, non-voluntarily of course.

i'm sure we all in all countries still do it

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Morian

i'm sure we all in all countries still do it

Sure!
But at least the money is real now and I can travel free without having to ask my Government for permission every time I leave the country, even for a day or two I remember very well how irritating and troublesome that was.

[Morian]

but we still need visas (instead of the mentioned permissions)

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Morian

but we still need visas (instead of the mentioned permissions)

Before there were permissions AND visas to most countries. Now, within the Schengen zone - none! I know young people take this right for granted, but for somebody of my generation - it's kind of a miracle.

[Silvester]

Originally posted by Rona:
"I know young people take this right for garanted, but for somebody of my generation - it's kind of a miracle. "

Yes Rona that´s very true what you tell - things have become much, much better in the last two decades. ( Just inside Schengen-zone, as already told.)
But still I need a visum if I want to travel for example to Russia - or to USA also...

[Morian]

Originally Posted by Silvester

But still I need a visum if I want to travel for example to Russia

and we need visas for eu normal

[Morian]

but we still need visas, you don't
i know only that our family never had such problems with travels and permisions. each epoch and each power has its own positive and negative aspects. an absolute evil (like absolute good of course) exists only in myths. that's why i wonder every time when i see too categorical opinions. they look too stulid i can say i lived in romania and spoke with many people from there. and many of them even miss past times (i don't mean new generations which saw soviet times only on tv). also my grandmother was estonian, but i never heard any bad thing about ussr from her, there were let's say normal discussions - we discuss the same problems now, nothing exceptional... i don't protect soviets etc., i just want to say that nobody knows what your children or grandchildren will tell about nowdays. maybe they will use all the same words like occupation, poverty and inequality

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Morian

but we still need visas, you don't

Yes, I know and this should be changed asap.

Originally Posted by Morian

i know only that our family never had such problems with travels and permisions. each epoch and each power has its own positive and negative aspects.

You don't have to tell me this I know there were lots of positive aspects of living in those times - really free education, much less polluted envirnoment, less competitive and 'commercial' relations among people, etc. I was a student in the 70-ties and had fantatstic time hiking in the mountains almost for free; sight-seeing in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, meeting many warm and hospitable people everywhere we went.

But on the other hand, as a child I was unable to visit my British grandma with both of my parents - one of them had to stay in the country to guarantee that the other will bring me back . Every citizen was suspected of potential law-breaking, we had to lie at school in history lessons, etc. etc. I don't miss that at all.