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What do you make of the Hero of Labour award then? They not only went to particularly productive labourers but also do engineers and scientists (Sakharov is pro
by HarryHirsch 6y ago
What do you make of the Hero of Labour award then? They not only went to particularly productive labourers but also do engineers and scientists (Sakharov is probably best known). Engineering and science is an individual effort, although of course you belong to a greater collective that supported you.
- nickff 6y agoHero of labor was a rare award, only given out 20812 times (according to Wikipedia); I'd be surprised if less than 20k Americans received a bonus on any given week under the current status quo. Please remember that I was responding to a comment, not making an abstract statement that communists never give out awards. The grandparent had said that it would be good if communists and socialists were more generous with awards than capitalists, and I was making the case that it would be antithetical to the typical communist ideology.
- HarryHirsch 6y agoThe fact that the award was rare is precisely the point, it's a highly politicised decision to give it, comparable to a military award for exceptional valour. At a lower level, 5-year plan medals were handed out like candy. So, yes, individuals of all kinds were recognized at all levels. In Soviet Russia you worked for people. At Amazon you work for the Machine.
- nickff 6y agoI am not really sure what point you're trying to make. There was an old saying in the Soviet Union: "we pretended to work, and they pretended to pay us". Everything that you're saying is compatible with the notion that the Soviets didn't actually reward innovation and productivity, they just pretended to. Your offhand comment is pithy, but ridiculous on its face.