tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post7983232885896432999..comments2024-03-20T11:41:56.776-04:00Comments on Tank Archives: SalaryPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-79468691450797982022015-10-14T16:52:12.489-04:002015-10-14T16:52:12.489-04:00That was the late Cold War period. Both standards...That was the late Cold War period. Both standards of living and popular expectations were much lower in the first half of the century, and AFAIK in that regard the USSR was looking quite respectable - not to mention like it was going places.<br />Apparently it wasn't until sometime in the Seventies that such optimism about the system's prospects began to fade, and when by the Eighties it was becoming painfully evident that the whole Communist block had not only fallen far behind its "capitalist" rivals but also had no real chances of catching up either a certain rather fundamental credibility problem arose.<br />There's reasons nobody seriously tried to keep the whole house of cards from falling over when the critical mass of popular discontent was reached.Kellomieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04915110653443066212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-17021363994739836782015-10-14T13:03:56.288-04:002015-10-14T13:03:56.288-04:00There was a very "healthy" black market ...There was a very "healthy" black market in Leningrad during the blockade.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-61202295250884294632015-10-14T08:42:02.295-04:002015-10-14T08:42:02.295-04:00I had a co-worker who came from the USSR. He said...I had a co-worker who came from the USSR. He said they had plenty of money. Unfortunately, there was nothing to buy with it. ... Except there was Vodka.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com