Russia communists turn to Stalin to fight crisis

[Dyakovo]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Maybe they think they can raise enough money by selling pictures of Joseph Stalin.

[Conserative Morality]

Death: A growth industry! "We're always hiring!"

[Buffett and Colbert]

Maybe they think they can raise enough money by selling pictures of Joseph Stalin.

And Joseph Stalin commemorative dinner plates.

[Eofaerwic]

I'd say it's just replicating a trend across the world of increased vocalism of fringe and extreme, and particularly nationalist, groups (an expected, if disappointing, response to economic crisis). In western Europe it's the creep by far right nationalists (be they Nazi tinged or other). Given Russia's history and the view in the mind of the general populace of Stalin as a national 'hero', it's not that surprising his image is invoked. It's a shame though because it seems to be a push by certain times to return Russia to an even more authoritarian regime than it has currently.

[Tarantum]

I think Russia has a case of Stockholm Syndrome.

[Free Celtic Lands]

Well it's Russia they haven't had a stable government that is good to it's people since before the rise of the Tzar's.

[Eofaerwic]

I think Russia has a case of Stockholm Syndrome.

More I'd say a case of looking at history through rose tinted glasses. It's easy to idealise the past, in particular time periods when your nation was considered a strong, major world-player and idealise them whilst ignoring all the bad things that came with that time. Especially when discontented with the current state of the country.

We all do it, to various degrees, such as the usual view of the 50s (which was great unless you were female, poor, black or gay), the height of the British empire/Victorian era for the UK (again, really bad time to be poor, which most of the population were) and so on. It's just more striking with Russia because we have been taught consistently about the horrors Stalin caused whilst ignoring that, as with all history, the situation was more complex and for certain segments of the Russian population his rule was actually beneficial (although if you were in that segement you were stuffed, but then again those not in that segment probably aren't writing the Russian history books).

[Grave_n_idle]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

I think the article introduces a bias that I don't think is the focus of the billboards.

The article basically makes it's opening gambit about the number of dead that may have resulted from Stalin's rule - but I suspect that the billboards aren't a call for political executions and informants and KGB disappearances - but a call for a strong hand and a controlled market.

[Grays Harbor]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

I think the article introduces a bias that I don't think is the focus of the billboards.

The article basically makes it's opening gambit about the number of dead that may have resulted from Stalin's rule - but I suspect that the billboards aren't a call for political executions and informants and KGB disappearances - but a call for a strong hand and a controlled market.

Possibly, but with Stalin, one came with the other. It was a package deal. Calling for a return to Stalinism is about on par with the yobos calling for Nazism.

[Farnhamia]

I think Russia has a case of Stockholm Syndrome.

More I'd say a case of looking at history through rose tinted glasses. It's easy to idealise the past, in particular time periods when your nation was considered a strong, major world-player and idealise them whilst ignoring all the bad things that came with that time. Especially when discontented with the current state of the country.

We all do it, to various degrees, such as the usual view of the 50s (which was great unless you were female, poor, black or gay), the height of the British empire/Victorian era for the UK (again, really bad time to be poor, which most of the population were) and so on. It's just more striking with Russia because we have been taught consistently about the horrors Stalin caused whilst ignoring that, as with all history, the situation was more complex and for certain segments of the Russian population his rule was actually beneficial (although if you were in that segement you were stuffed, but then again those not in that segment probably aren't writing the Russian history books).

It's the kind of thinking that had people saying that, sure, Mussolini was a dictator and all but he made the trains run on time, so ... Which I don't think he actually did.

[Grave_n_idle]

Possibly, but with Stalin, one came with the other. It was a package deal. Calling for a return to Stalinism is about on par with the yobos calling for Nazism.

I'm not sure 'Stalinism', per se - is what they are calling for.

[Flammable Ice]

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

[Lancaster of Wessex]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

Well that'll guarantee voters aged 92 and upwards...

[Grave_n_idle]

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

It did work.

[Lancaster of Wessex]

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

It did work.

But at what cost to the environment and human lives?

[Secruss]

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

It did work.

But at what cost to the environment and human lives?

Millions.

[Lancaster of Wessex]

Millions.

Ding!

[Ifreann]

It did work.

But at what cost to the environment and human lives?

Millions.

Less people means more money per person. Genocide could be just the thing we need to get out of this recession.

[Greater Americania]

I'm not a Stalinist, but the country's prosperity defiently was at it's peak during the Stalinist-era. At least it was while Stalin was in power outside of WW2. I honestly thought I'd never see this. All the Communists I know denounce Stalin as a tyrant and denounce Stalinism as a "perversion of Communist ideology".

[Political Spectrum]

I think Russia has a case of Stockholm Syndrome.

You are correct.

[Political Spectrum]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

I think the article introduces a bias that I don't think is the focus of the billboards.

The article basically makes it's opening gambit about the number of dead that may have resulted from Stalin's rule - but I suspect that the billboards aren't a call for political executions and informants and KGB disappearances - but a call for a strong hand and a controlled market.

You are correct.

[Dyakovo]

Russian communists have put up giant billboards of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in a southern city, promoting his tough methods as the best remedy for the world economic crisis.
Linky

Wow, just wow...

So, what do you guys think? Does this have any merit at all?

I think the article introduces a bias that I don't think is the focus of the billboards.

The article basically makes it's opening gambit about the number of dead that may have resulted from Stalin's rule - but I suspect that the billboards aren't a call for political executions and informants and KGB disappearances - but a call for a strong hand and a controlled market.

True, that's why I didn't address that part of it.

[Dyakovo]

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

Actually it could be argued that it did work, at least to a certain extent.

[Lancaster of Wessex]

The article basically makes it's opening gambit about the number of dead that may have resulted from Stalin's rule - but I suspect that the billboards aren't a call for political executions and informants and KGB disappearances - but a call for a strong hand and a controlled market.

If that was their aim (which it likely was), then they picked a representative with a hell of a lot of baggage. Unfortunately Soviet history doesn't offer too many other alternatives though.