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Scandinavia is in no way communist, not even "moderate' communist. For the nearest equivalent to that, Yugoslavia would be a better comparison. If you look at
by simonh 5y ago
Scandinavia is in no way communist, not even "moderate' communist. For the nearest equivalent to that, Yugoslavia would be a better comparison.
If you look at the rapid industrialisation and growth of Italy through to the 60s starting from a similarly dire start, they leaped ahead of Yugoslavia. Yes Italy suffered recession through the 80s and 90s, but the Yugoslav economy completely collapsed. 150% inflation in Italy spread over a decade? Try 9,000% inflation in Yugoslavia over just 6 years in the same era. They were even a net importer agricultural produce despite 29% of their work force being in agriculture.
More recently since you brought him up yes Berlusconi was an idiot that hurt Italy, no question, but to really wipe out an economy right down to the roots there's no substitute for Marxism.
- eecc 5y agoItaly also benefited from access to the European market, while Yugoslavia was stuck - and even there not quite well integrated either - with the flailing economies of the Eastern Block. About your last statement, you seem to forget some of the attempts at Neoliberal Edens in South America of the '90s. They didn't go that well, haven't they?
- Ginden 5y agoI'm not sure if any liberal thinker would label policies such as fixed exchange rates, constant deficit funded by foreign borrowing, military dictatorships, as "liberal".
- simonh 5y agoYugoslavia did trade with Europe, it was independent and not a member of the Warsaw Pact. Only 25% of its trade was with the eastern block.
- eecc 5y agoHey, went to double check that claim and learned on Wikipedia that Yugoslavia did IMF backed austerity policies in the ‘80s.