edit: GUYS fuck stalin and fuck tankies, period. i understand that this community is more sensitive than most to pro-stalinist vibes, and i apologize for unintentionally twinging that nerve, but you need stop calling each other (and me) slurs.
I created that meme in 2019.
Hello passing BLAHAJ user. If any of you happen to be passing by you should also know that the death rate for the gulags over 70 years ago was also better than the current death rate in modern US prisons and this can be proven quite easily.
When ignoring the period of 1941-1944 (nazi occupation of the soviet union and ww2) where 70% of all deaths in gulags occurred, the program actually had an incredibly low death rate for its time. In fact, by 1953 the gulag system had a LOWER death rate than current modern day US prisons have. Fact.
According to this study the gulag deaths were approximately 830,000 from 1934 to 1953. As I said above however, it is important to know that 70% of all these deaths occurred between 1941 and 1944 (included) so they can be attributed to difficulties from the War Period and nazi occupation. Also, it’s important to note that antibiotics didn’t become available until after WW2, this contributes significantly to earlier higher death figures.
To put things into perspective. Using the same source as above for the USSR, and this report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics we can say that Mortality in the gulag in 1953 (236 deaths per 100,000 prisoners) was lower than mortality in US prisons today, both in state prisons (303 deaths per 100,000 prisoners) and federal prisons (252 deaths per 100,000 prisoners).
Feel free to double check these numbers(you should check anyone’s numbers always). I know it’s surprising to hear that as far back as 1953 they were better, but it is absolutely 100% correct.
This data also doesn’t include the covid years, which would make this data considerably worse for the US.
The visceral emotional reaction you have to “tankies” is a product of propaganda, you should be having a far greater emotional reaction to anything to do with the US, particularly because it actually exists whereas the USSR does not.
Remember, you are not immune to propaganda.
When ignoring the period of 1941-1944 (nazi occupation of the soviet union and ww2) where 70% of all deaths in gulags occurred, the program actually had an incredibly low death rate for its time.
In fact, nazis murdered so many people in USSR, that gulag even in the war years was actually statistically safer place to be than outside gulag, especially outside in the occupied parts. For example nazis murdered something like 1/3rd of entire population of Belarussian SSR.
I kicked all the leftists out of my community and now I can’t understand why it’s full of reactionaries! Oh well let’s try kicking even more leftists out surely this time it will work
Should we try kicking the reactionaries out instead?
No, that sounds like something the evil Stalin would do!
nothing is funnier to me than a liberal who’s gotten ahold of the word “Reactionary” and thinks it means “in reaction to a thing”
Reacting to modernity by rejecting it, embrace everything was better back in the day
Ah, close! I would add that it’s not just the belief that things were better in the past; you have to also try to re-create the past, try to reenact it, to be reactionary.
If you’re in politics maybe. Otherwise it seems you’d mostly yell at clouds and tell the young ones how they should lead their lives
“Don’t get me wrong, despite being libertarian Marxist. I’m wildly against Lenin, Stalin, Mao, hell Engles for that matter etc.”
“I’m a socialist but I oppose all the famous socialist leaders and theorists”
Engles
They got “On Authority” quoted to them one time too much - and it’s likely the only piece of theory they ever at least skimmed.
"Hey guys, I’m heading out to the ideology shop to grab a couple of things.
Do you want me to get anything for you while I’m there?"
