Misconceptions Regarding Communist Regime and Post-Communist Reform in Russia

Abstract

In a still commonly held view in Western Europe, North America and some other parts of the world, the Soviet Revolution of 1917 is interpreted as endogenously Russian and benefitting the poor, and the post-communist reform of the early 1990s is seen as chaotic. However, much of the 1917 Revolution can be attributed to foreign intellectuals residing in Russia, and the purpose of the communists was to gain political power by exploiting the poor, especially farmers. During the communist regime, much of the farming population remained resistant to the practice of communists. The so-called ‘Russian Mafia’ of the post-communist era is very different from the mafia in Sicilia or the USA in its ethics and social function, and is often more reliable, beneficial and protective to consumers than the governmental organizations.