Quote Originally Posted by Hanna View Post
I don't know about the USSR either, but I think they could opt out of most patriotic stuff, but probably at a higher cost to their career etc than in the USA. I remember Crocodile commenting that he joined the Komsomol organisation despite the fact that he did not really want to. Not sure what would have happened if he had just said "stuff it I can't be bothered." Does anyone know?
I know for a fact that nothing would have happened, at least, not in the 70-80's. My cousin refused to join Komsomol (not because of any political believes, though). His teachers were mildly shocked, but there were no repercussions (just a lecture from a distraught teacher, which was ignored).

My mom, who was a constructor of military sea crafts, refused to join the Communist party, when her boss offered her to do that as an encouragement for her excellent work. Such an offer was considered an honor, and could potentially aid her career. While the Party was much more serious business than Komsomol, again nothing happened. Her career did not suffer because of that (though it could, that's true), even despite the ridiculous and slightly disrespectful way she refused (she said essentially: "No way! Party meetings are boring and a waste of time").

At least that was my family's experience, So I take horror stories about "courageous people" who opposed Soviet system (by doing pretty safe things like refusing to be a pioneer) with a grain of salt. Circumstances differ, but in many cases it was not as dangerous as it probably sounds to people who never lived in the USSR.