Quote Originally Posted by Ramil View Post
In USSR 'success' could mean anything - you could be a good doctor or a good teacher, a good factory worker even or a good scientist.
Quote Originally Posted by Ramil View Post
The good thing about USSR is that they told us that there are more important things in the world than money.
Those are the exact reasons that I have some degree of respect and admiration for the USSR. I know there were many downsides, but this is unique and very cool. Because of what happened in the USSR, other countries shaped up due to fear of a revolution. Plus, I think that for the last 30 years of so of its existence, the USSR was no worse than lots of other countries, either towards its own citizens or anyone else. It raised the living standard of millions of people and gave them access to good education, free healthcare and a secure job.

All of this gets lost among endless talk about gulags, Stalin, nuclear weapons and spies....