`Suppose you succeed in breaking the wall with your head. And what, then, will you do in the next cell?` -Stanisław Jerzy Lec

Отпечатки перста Божия никогда не идентичны друг другу...

The Soviet Union was an empire. Everybody knows that every empire reaches its highest point and then it collapses. No other way. To keep the empire going its leaders must have the policy of strong fist and strong ideology. The CPSU, KGB and Communist ideology kept the USSR going. Many people today do not understand history and know nothing about economics. They say: the USSR was great, everything was free, all people were equal. ..." что было - было хорошего качества" - this is a most doubtful statement. But if there's no competition and market economy (government's plans instead) and man's individuality is levelled, the economy comes to stagnation. That's exactly what happened. The USSR's achievements were based on oil/gas resources and peoples' enthusiasm. Gorbachev meant to direct the country into the mainstream. But the reforms turned into chaos, robbery, corruption, lawlessness. But I also see good points. People are free to earn money and travel abroad, there's freedom of speech (however not everyone accepts criticism). What we need is concience discipline, not based on the fear of KGB or authorities, eradication of corruption, government's facing people's needs instead of its striving to fill their pockets, less dependence on oil resources. There's one party Putin-Medvedev "United Russia" ruling the country. No powerful opposition. That's too bad. But there's no way back.

СССР был великой страной! В то время в нашей стране был социализм. И, конечно, был культ коммунистической партии....Но бесплатным было образование, медицина, жильё. Не было безработицы. Конечно, тогда не было большого разнообразия продуктов и вещей, но, то, что было - было хорошего качества. После развала СССР стало еще хуже. Тем "кто выше" плевать на русский народ. И, я думаю, что ничего нельзя вернуть! Нам уже "не очиститься" от влияния "Запада".