Was the Fall of the USSR a Good Thing?

The Volokh Conspiracy ^ | February 14, 2011 | Staff

[lbryce]

University of Chicago Professor Brian Leiter isn’t so sure, and gives his reasons:

I should add, of course, that whether the collapse of the Soviet Union should be considered a good thing is a separate question. Certainly everyone (except the despots) welcomes the end of totalitarian regimes, though some of the former Soviet republics have remained thoroughly undemocratic, and Russia itself has moved strongly back in that direction. Then, of course, there was the enormous human cost to the collapse (increased mortality, a decline in longevity, and massive economic and thus human dislocation and suffering). Finally, certain other world-historic crimes, such as the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq, are unlikely to have occurred if the Soviet Union had remained intact.

Finally, certain other world-historic crimes, such as the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq, are unlikely to have occurred if the Soviet Union had remained intact.

I’m no fan of the Iraq war, but I’m sure America and the USSR could have found another proxy war to fight that would have been just as bad, if not worse. Elbabe(Quote) February 14, 2011, 8:00 pm 2. James Gibson says:

Outside of the fact that for a decade the Soviet Union/Russia was silent, I truly see no difference between the USA/USSR relationship of the 70s and the relationship of today between us and Russia. James Gibson(Quote)

[lbryce]

This question, topic has always bugged the heck out of me, I don't even want to talk about it. All I'll say is that even despite all the years since,the ability to examine every single facet of Communism, climb up into every orifice get whatever information (mostly) you want, asking such a question, does not bode well fo mankind.

[DannyTN]

Did the little pig cry wee wee wee all the way home?

[Patrick1]

It is easy to say this stuff now out of the context of when the USSR did indeed exist.

The death of a totalitarian regime that accounted for the loss of untold millions of lives and the enslavement of millions of others is always a good thing.

[BitWielder1]

USSR fell but the same commies are still in charge.

[RichInOC]

Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?
Would Lee Ermey make an awesome therapist?
Was Abe Lincoln really honest?

[rellimpank]

-- Then, of course, there was the enormous human cost to the collapse (increased mortality, a decline in longevity, and massive economic and thus human dislocation and suffering---

--I call "hogwash" on this statement ---

[RichInOC]

(Yeah, I know the original commercial asked if a retired DI would make a bad therapist. I like my version better.)

[central_va]

The only thing bad about it is now we don’t get a daily dose of how bad communism is.. The collective memory goes faint.

[marron]

I don’t know. Lets ask someone from Poland.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Lets ask someone from Poland.

Or a Ukranian kulak, if you can find one.

[AnalogReigns]

certain other world-historic crimes, such as the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq...

I'm afraid this guy's perspective is too far skewed to have anything meaningful to say....

[wku man]

I'm waiting for GEICO to do one about a bear in the woods...it would take some creativity to pull it off without being overly crude, but I'd like to see it.

But to answer the question about the USSR...do woodchucks chuck wood?

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[DTA]

Of course it is good thing. The problem is how U.S. squandered Cold war victory and sunk New American Century even before it began. In 1999, to be more precise.

The rise of Russia and BRIC is the result of combined efforts of incompetent governent and criminal Wall Street class, and vice versa.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, it was a good thing. For crying out loud, what a bunch of ignorant sluts. If it had continued, many would be having major downsides too.

[mjp]

the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq

The moslems declared war against us which is still going on. Saddam would sooner or later found a way to help them against us. We have the perfect right to protect and preserve our natural rights against foreign threats such as Saddam.

[proud American in Canada]

Finally, certain other world-historic crimes, such as the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq, are unlikely to have occurred if the Soviet Union had remained intact.

Ah, we see this writer's agenda. He doesn't like GW Bush.

My father, a Czechoslovakian from Chicago, hated the communists, as did his Yugoslovakian caregiver.

Of course it was a good thing.

[lbryce]

. A picture may be a thousand words but "squander" in this context, in post-USSR-America is worth ten thousand pictures.

[biff]

Funny how we consider the Cold War the good ole days when they was just one bad guy to worry about.

[Mi-kha-el]

The author obviously never lived in good ole USSR. I did. Should have asked to swap places with him (her, it) back then. I have wasted so much precious time. And this article would probably have never been written. On the other hand, there will never be a shortage of useful idiots.