Wanted: Survivors of Soviet Russia (Or Other Totalitarian Regimes)

Much can be debated about the loss of freedoms in America and that is fine but the purpose of this thread is to seek the advise of any persons who have lived under a totalitarian regime or harsh dictatorship. All of us Americans who were brought up to believe we we free humans who owned our own person and property may be hopelessly naive when it comes to living in what this country has become.

Do we need to develop a black market to sell vegetables when gardens become illegal?
How do you keep is secret?
How to you preserve tangible assets and wealth under a regime that takes anything they are aware of?
Any tips on getting food after a currency collapse?
What are some in-demand after barter items?
Do we need to learn how to make moonshine from various vegetables?
How do you teach your kids information that may be politically unpopular under the current regime?

Any advice from real experience could be very valuable for us.

reply to post by RedPill


Sorry that I can't help you out, i'm an American as well, but I thought I would recommend something for you. If you ever get the chance check out a movie called The Lives Of Others.

It's about the Stasi and things they use to do before the Berlin Wall fell. It is a great film. I found it by searching the IMDB 250 of all time list. It's ranked pretty high up there. Not your typical American film. You'll have to watch it with the subtitles on. Which subs don't bother me, I know its not everyones cup of tea but believe me you'll be glad you watched it.

It shows everything from how the Stasi operated and invaded everyones lives, how politicians used their power for personal gain, and how people lived under the Stasi. It shows how they hid things and how people could easily lose their job by simply telling a joke.

Great film. If you get a chance check it out. I think it will feed your interests as pertaining to this thread.

im no survivor... of anything (yet), ill be tuned in though. S+F, great thread.

reply to post by WJjeeper


Same, I hope someone responds.

Its very difficult to find one here.

Im Venezuelan by the way.
I will be a survivor of communist Chavez in some time,hopefully

Not to burst your bubble but....

My wife was born and raised in the USSR. She never considered herself a "survivor"... Actually she always said that she had much better things then than now in the "democratically liberated" world... IE:

free medicine and medical care
free housing
free education in the field of choice (not decided by the government as people like to believe)
abundance of food (not like the "official" images shown on TV just before the "collapse" of the USSR)
very little poverty
job in the field of your education guarantied

As she says, now people there are poor, homeless, jobless, and hopeless since their "democratic liberation"... there are 2 classes super rich and poor...

so I guess they are survivors not of the system they had, but of the corrupt one they currently have thanks to the americans...

Magnum

^ its because in america you only get what you work for. some people (most) think they deserve the exact same everything as the guy who has busted his ass his whole life... NOPE. that is communism, ENJOY.

reply to post by Magnum007


It is amazing to me you would say that. I have many friends from other countries, I have lived overseas, and I have friends who have also lived overseas, and friends who are currently living overseas. One thing they all have in common is that they all agree that the feel that they had more freedoms outside of the USA. We are talking about countries like the USSR, Korea, Panama, Germany. I have a friend who is teaching right now in South Korea and he has no desire at all to ever return to the USA. He has never been happier and he feels that his quality of life now, is much better than what it was just 4 short years ago when he was still in the US.

Many Americans will never believe it, but our "Freedom" is really one big illusion. Americans are controlled, not free.

Originally posted by WJjeeper
^ its because in america you only get what you work for. some people (most) think they deserve the exact same everything as the guy who has busted his ass his whole life... NOPE. that is communism, ENJOY.

No you dont get what you work for in America, you get whats left over after the System takes it's cut. I am that guy who has busted his ass all his life. I have had a job since I was 11 years old. In high school I worked 2 part time jobs, eventually gaining full time employment in a Rubbermaid factory where I worked 3rd shift and got off just in time to get showered and then get to school. I know the world owes you nothing and if you want something you work for it.

Its not that bad to live under a totalitarian dictaroship like communism, sadly i was born right after my country was liberated from communism and as i heard from stories of people who lived in that time, there was no shortage of food or jobs, everybody had housing in apartment buildings with 2-3 rooms and after you had graduated university you were considered a profesional thus you had work assured in a high position and if you had only a high school diploma you worked in a lower position. Salaries were good and if you would save some money for a year or two you could afford a car easily.

But the main thing about my country during communism is that it didn't have any debt to any foreign country so everything it exported was profit thus taxes were low. (But i think this is because our leader was a poor shoe cleaner who joined the communist party and was voted to become leader because he was easily influenced..... which was not the case)

But because this will not be the case with the united states i suggest you move everything possible underground including education and if possible healthcare. Try to grow food where possible and start getting used for not eating until you are stuffed ... This is my suggestion.

reply to post by Magnum007

That is good information, not what I expected but that is the whole point of asking for information from someone with experience. If the majority rules and the majority wants to be taken care of more then they want liberty I guess there is no use trying to fix anything.
Its good to hear that the end of liberty won't be the end of the world lol.

reply to post by RedPill


There is a difference between being taken care of and being told what, when, where, and how to do things....

Socialism = being taken care of by the strength of the entire populace. There is nothing wrong with that, actually most of the world works in a semi-socialistic way with universal healthcare, education, etc...

The problem lies when people distort things about the system because of bias due to being fed corrupted information. It was in the interest of the US government and businesses to paint the USSR as being severe on its people, being a system of hard labour, a system where everyone was watched and controlled or that those who didn't work were punished severely (or that they were lazy people and didn't want to work because they were handed everything)... It was the best way to make people buy American made things and to keep American pride up so that American businesses would thrive... And of course to keep Americans in fear of war to keep the defense budgets up and running!

The truth of the matter is that socialism actually prevented most of these things from happening. You see, because people had the basic necessities taken care of, and they had education and jobs in their field of interest, the people were much happier and much more willing to work. My wife explained to me that those who didn't work or who were alcoholics, were actually shamed into working or controlling their drinking not by the government but by their family and neighbors who would literally shame them in public. It was understood by everyone that in order for the system to work, everyone needed to do their part!

When the fall of the system started in the late 80's thanks to the US interventions (yes the US caused this by pushing the Ukraine, Bellaruss, and other countries to push their own way through) then EVERYTHING COLLAPSED. Before this happened, people had grains coming from the Ukraine (to make flour), steel from the Russian foundries, wood from the northern forests, coal from eastern Ukraine, etc... Everything came from different parts of the USSR... After the fall, when everyone went their own way, the supply was cut. No more food! No more access to certain raw materials. Hence the shortages everywhere. Those shortages were the result of a split union that worked so well for so long.

My answer to you is that there is no perfect system. I just believe that the problem we all have is perspective. We only get to see what "our side" wants to tell us. We never get the real story until we either live it or meet people who have lived it.

Soviet Russia was not that bad for the commoner, actually they lived much better than Americans do now. For the guy who would cause a little bit of trouble, well he didn't have such an easy life... Crime was low, but so was political opposition... but between you and me: why would I care who's in power if I get everything I need and they don't interfere with my life (which they didn't)?

Magnum