[OPE-L:2753] Re: socialism and planning

glevy@pratt.ed (glevy@pratt.edu)
Tue, 30 Jul 1996 04:58:01 -0700 (PDT)

[ show plain text ]

Paul C wrote in [OPE-L:2742]:

> One should bear in mind that the results of the recent Russian elections
> indicate that, there at least, a substantial proportion of the population
> do appear to want to again live in a Soviet style country. And this,
> despite the outrageously biased nature of the media there, is arguably
> a better informed electorate than that in most of the world. They
> have had the opportunity to experience both the soviet and the capitalist
> system.

The Russian Communist Party did not run on a platform which called for a
return to a "Soviet style country." They said (and say) quite explicitly
that they favor a mixed (capitalist) economy. Nonetheless. it appears to
be true that there are significant segments of the population, especially
among the elderly living on fixed incomes, who would like to see a return
to the previous system. It should also be added that the CP like Yeltsin
played the nationalist card in the elections and courted (unsuccessfully)
Lebed.

In OPE-L Solidarity,

Jerry