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Comment by Ray20 | Hacker News Reader

>Even among its peasants

No, it wasn't. This is Soviet propaganda, that existed only because people who expressed different opinions were killed. As far as I understand, the situation in Botswana is much better when it comes to expressing one's opinion. So I am interested in what they think about this issue.

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You would not have been killed in Khrustchev times for expressing a dissatisfaction with the space programme, even though it certainly deviated from the party line. Perhaps it's worth considering that what people find inspiring does not necessarily reflect their material condition: humans are complex creatures.

just ten years in the gulag archipelago I guess lol, not death!

GULag system was disbanded by same Khrushchev in favor of traditional prisons.

You are buying Soviet propaganda. Just an example of what what happening in Khrustchev times for expressing a dissatisfaction:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novocherkassk_massacre

I grew up in Soviet Union and have a pretty solid idea what you could and what you could not say, but thanks for trivia.

A life anecdote: in mid 1980s my classmate shot the Lenin portrait in the classroom through a straw. His parents were called in and reprimanded. In 1950s they'd been in real trouble; in 1937 they would have been arrested, tortured and likely killed. In 1989 nobody would have cared.

Are you interested in their opinion when you instantly dismiss one?

I'm from the former communist block and let me tell you: you have no idea what are you talking about. Zero, none.

You seem to be regurgitating stereotypes.

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