Proving yet again how out of touch the publication can be, the October 12 issue of Newsweek seriously asked the question: “Was Russia Better Off Red?” The “Back Story” page of the magazine featured a graphic comparing life under communism to now and bizarrely asserted: “Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has seen an increase in oligarchs and Louis Vuitton outlets. But by many other measures, Russians are worse off.”
Yes, despite the fact that 20 million people were murdered in Soviet Russia, this unsigned feature in Newsweek contrasted the crime rate under communism, the number of hospitals and the total number of cinemas (among other factors) to those in the country today. Sadly, there are only 1,510 movie theaters today. Under the brutal repression of communism, however, there were 2,337.
For sources, Newsweek cited the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Labour Organization, National Statistical Office of Federation, UNESCO and the World Health Organization. The publication didn’t explain why readers are supposed to assume that the original communist numbers are accurate.
Other statistics compared: Population, life expectancy at birth, divorces, diseases, agricultural land (in acres), forest land (in acres) and alcohol consumption. All of these, according to Newsweek, were better under some undated time of communism.
Read More: By Scott Whitlock, Newsbusters
Photo Credit: barackmagazines (Creative Commons)
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Is the comparison between present day Russia and The USSR.
or resent day Russia and the similar land area during the Soviet Communistic era?
Sure there's less movie theaters, but way more flat-screen TVs in citizens' houses!
Sadly, there are only 1,510 movie theaters today. Under the brutal repression of communism, however, there were 2,337. Can’t be the advent of home entertainment?
Probably the only really notable and worth while change occurring in Russia from the former days of being "red" and subsequent thereto, is that the slaughter of millions of Soviet citizens has ceased.
Russia has entered a more moderate political milieu because of the very fact that it cannot stand to loose anymore dissenting citizens. The birth rate is so low, as is reported, such that the government is offering rubles to women to have babies! Workers are needed and now some years away even if the potential moms take up the offer!
OMG…I just noticed there are no more beta and video tape stores here either…
“In Politics, nothing is accidental.
If something happens, be assured
it was planned this way.”
–Franklin D. Roosevelt,
32 Degree Mason