Over 100 years ago, Russia became core of USSR and the pioneer of international struggle for workers’ liberation, poverty lifting, enlightenment, scientific progress and propagation of socialism and communism.
Now – in my humble and maybe biased by liberal propaganda view – Russia is one of the most reactionary, conservative, backward-looking, clerical country. Please excuse me posting some liberal, imperialist shit here, but seems that Kremlin officially admits going far-right: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/kremlin-finally-puts-together-ideology
Speaking locally, there seems to be evidence that Polish far-right party PiS (Law and Justice) is backed by Kremlin as well as the extremely influential priest, Tadeusz Rydzyk, founder and director of the ultra-catholic, conservative Radio Maryja station has/had ties with Polish and Russian security services before the end of People’s Republic of Poland and USSR (sic!). I have some generally available videos, but in Polish, sadly.
Could you tell me how far this is true? If so, what purpose had the late communist states and today’s Russia in spreading far-right propaganda? WTF went wrong?
The USSR became further economically liberal as time went on, and the Gorbachev reforms accelerated it - introducing the market economy collapsed the state and caused the breakup of the USSR.
Socialism seemed discredited, even though it was the abandonment of it, in favor of what the bureaucracy thought would be more efficient - better for the nation. The same kind of nationalism became the hegemonic narrative in the country since.
Yeltsin was known for a mixture of lassiez Faire market economics which caused a collapse of living standards, skyrocketing crime and of course the entrenchment of a new bourgeois class. Mixed with general incompetence on both a personal and political level, he was despised.
Nationalists went by the assumption that the solution to the woes of the country was the lack of a strong leader to make everything alright. Putin filled the role perfectly.
His politics and supporters from both proletariat and bourgeoisie are nationalistic, and sees Russia and it’s businesses as in direct competition with the west (indeed, not unfounded due to their interference in the USSR and 90s Russia and the way capitalism works) - spreading far-right ideology to countries aligned with the west is how Russia aims to gain support and a sphere of influence in a competition of blocs. Unlike the USSR’s support of communist parties - there was fertile ground for growth of fascist groupings in the west, also caused by political developments in the USA.
In my view this is a shameful and destructive strategy, completely opposite to ideals of communism, who should rather enlighten people, than make their minds darker. Not to mention that breeds xenophobia, nationalism, fascism, etc. hand to hand with U$ imperialism. Some may call my view childish and utopian, but for me the truth is essential. I’m not sure about China, but seems that the biggest countries become nationalist, what I perceive as a great danger. There is no moral leader, as one hundred ago biggest minds, scientists and politicians in the East and in the West supported USRR and took example. We are living in dark times again.
I see it similarly, but when – you think – it started? Brezhnev? As long as Khrushchev? It may be seen that China also went toward market economy, but – in the metric of GDP – with a great success. So what went wrong with USSR? Is it that it was more laissez-faire than the controlled Chinese economy? I am aware that I essentially ask another question than in the topic, but explaining what went wrong really concerns me.
Russia isn’t communist, nor does it claim to be.
It’s also not about morality, or GDP - it’s about the goals a government sets itself. Do they want to proceed to a stateless, classless society, or are they simply concerned with good government and to make the country be stronger than the competition, be it through sword or construction?
It’s hard to say where the winds are blowing in the CPC - United Russia, however, just wants a strong Russia.
As for the USSR’s market turn, it’s hard to say. Most people here would probably say Khrushcev due to the rejection of the necessity of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the policy of peaceful coexistence (in spite of the grand announcement of communism by 1980). Other communists would blame Stalin for say, having a more nationalistic policy than Lenin and his pragmatism in foreign policy matters. Of course, as the rot continued it became easier to see obvious liberals. The USSR probably started rejecting a planned economy in the Brezhnev era, with the Kosygin reforms. Of course, the question is - did the CPSU pursue communism then? Some undoubtedly did, while others were merely nationalistic technocrats.
I am aware that the market turn was a complex and unclear process, as well as deciding whether Stalin was personally leaned towards more nationalist policies or he was forced by the external factors is difficult (both things extremely interesting, but somewhat outside of the scope of this thread). Anyway, thank you for interesting answers comrade.