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[Owlbread]

Can we define socialist? Is it Scandinavian-style socialist or is it "Conservative Image of Hell" socialist that's been bandied about so much in political discourse?

The latter. PatriotSaint's idea of Socialism that involves jackboots and thought police.

[PatriotSaint]

And socialist states arent all dictatorships.
case in point (to a limited extent) all industrialized nations.

The key word is aren't *all*.

Also, explain what you mean, as to your case-in-point. All industrialized nations are socialist?

[PatriotSaint]

Can we define socialist? Is it Scandinavian-style socialist or is it "Conservative Image of Hell" socialist that's been bandied about so much in political discourse?

The latter. PatriotSaint's idea of Socialism that involves jackboots and thought police.

More like: "Europe"

I call the USSR "socialist" because here someone will get their panties in a wad if I call the USSR "communist".

[Descan]

Well, for one, Canadian (and pretty much every other countries) healthcare system is pretty fucking socialist.

[Skyrunner]

Do you have to double-post? Why not quote twice in one post and reply to each?

[PatriotSaint]

If you're worried about clutter, that didn't exactly help... But point taken.

[Aseaheru]

And socialist states arent all dictatorships.
case in point (to a limited extent) all industrialized nations.

The key word is aren't *all*.

Also, explain what you mean, as to your case-in-point. All industrialized nations are socialist?

All industrialized nations (bar us) have socialized healthcare and many have socialized education and similar.

[Owlbread]

I smell a debate about Socialism and its merits coming along.

[PatriotSaint]

Ermahgerd how did u know? 

Actually, the argument was that not all socialist states are dictatorships, and that's true, so there's not really anything to discuss about that specific argument.

[Owlbread]

Perhaps that would be best for a dedicated thread where everyone can just duke it out? Rather than the DPRK thread, I mean.

[PatriotSaint]

Mebbe I'll go make it sometime today. 

[Guardian G.I.]

The lazy, warm and cozy period of stagnation and corruption that can be surprisingly pleasant/tholable. You're still cwtching down into your blankets while the curtains downstairs are catching fire, though.

The corruption was widespread among the highest party ranks in Moscow. Party officials from the smallest local party offices up to the leadership of communist parties of Soviet member republics (the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was officially an organization uniting the communist parties of all Soviet republics, except Russia, who didn't have one until 1990. The official name of the local branch of the CPSU in Belarus, for example, was the Communist Party of Belarus, in Ukraine it was Communist Party of Ukraine, etc.) were under public scrutiny. They had to follow the Moral Code of the Builder of Communism, and being suspected of breaking it could lead to investigation by the Party Control Committee, which could lead to the expulsion from the Communist Party if it finds out that the party official did broke the moral code. The investigation could be triggered by anonymous complaints from citizens.
The procedures described above worked as intended in Belarus, as my parents recall. For example, one party official in charge of the local Communist party organization at a factory where my dad used to work was kicked out of the party after numerous complaints of being rude to factory workers. One of my dad's friends at school (he studied during late 1970s and early 1980s) was the son of the first secretary of the Party Organization of the city (defacto, the mayor). He always had to wear cheap clothes (even though those children whose parents could afford it wore jeans and other fancy clothing) because everyone knew that he is the son of the high ranking party member and if someone found out that his children wear fancy clothing, he could be accused of immodesty, leading to trouble.

I'm not sure about other republics of the USSR, especially the ones in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

[Owlbread]

Judging by some books I've read about Central Asia during that period the officials held far greater power, even running their provinces like fiefdoms.

[Guardian G.I.]

Judging by some books I've read about Central Asia during that period the officials held far greater power, even running their provinces like fiefdoms.

Creating family clans is a well-known tradition of Central Asian people that dates back centuries.

[Just Some Guy]

Let's get back on track, shall we?