The Fall of the USSR: The Economy and Other Problems, ft. 1Dime

What was the logic of the Soviet economy, and where did it falter? We discuss this and other problems of the late Soviet era in the second part of our conversation with 1Dime. If you haven’t seen the **first part**, check it out here: The bonus part will be available to patrons: -------- Also, please check out 1Dime’s channel: And 1Dime’s podcast channel: -------- Patreon: Twitter: -------- Reading List: Allen, R. C. (2021). Farm to factory. Princeton University Press. Suny, R. G., Martin, T., & Martin, T. D. (Eds.). (2001). A State of Nations: Empire and Nation-making in the Age of Lenin and Stalin. Oxford University Press. Suny, R. G. (2002). The structure of Soviet history: Essays and documents. Oxford University Press. Siegelbaum, L. H., & Suny, R. G. (Eds.). (1994). Making workers Soviet: power, class, and identity. Cornell University Press. Fitzpatrick, S. (1999). Everyday Stalinism: ordinary life in extraordinary times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s. Oxford University Press, USA. Parenti, M. (1997). Blackshirts and Reds: Rational fascism and the overthrow of communism. City Lights Books. Peters, B. (2016). How not to network a nation: The uneasy history of the Soviet Internet. MIT Press. Gerovitch, S. (2008). InterNyet: why the Soviet Union did not build a nationwide computer network. History and Technology, 24(4), 335-350. Resnick, S. A., & Wolff, R. D. (2013). Class theory and history: Capitalism and communism in the USSR. Routledge. Cockshott, W. P., & Cottrell, A. (2000). Towards a new Socialism. Lewin, M. (2005). The soviet century. Verso. Ticktin, H. H. (1973). Towards a Political Economy of the USSR. Critique: Journal of Socialist Theory, 1(1), 20-41. -------- Intro and outro music: Soviet song (1962) - Glory to the ones who look forward! **FAIR USE** Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. -------- 00:00:00 - 00:03:20 Introduction 00:03:20 - 00:24:46 Khrushchev and Revision 00:24:46 - 00:32:30 Austere Life in Socialism? 00:32:30 - 00:37:00 Appeals to the Past 00:37:00 - 00:43:20 (Un)necessary Reforms 00:43:20 - 00:51:30 The Logic of the Soviet Economy 00:51:30 - 01:04:10 Coercion for Economic Progress 01:04:10 - 01:10:00 Stagnation 01:10:00 - 01:15:43 Political Shifts 01:15:43 - 01:36:28 OGAS and Cybernetics 01:36:28 - 01:45:58 Political Rigidity and Barriers to Innovation 01:45:58 - 01:51:39 Irrationality of Reforms 01:51:39 - 01:57:12 Criticism 01:57:12 - 02:11:45 Economic Inefficiencies 02:11:45 - 02:24:45 Reforms (Again) 02:24:45 - 02:30:50 Economic Systems 02:30:50 - 02:42:42 Glasnost and Authoritarianism 02:42:42 - 02:48:10 Readings 02:48:10 - 02:51:54 Conclusion