Eng
Esp

Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

‘Friendship of the peoples’ – one of many Soviet myths waiting to be debunked, Mirovich says

byPaul A. Goble
09/10/2021
2 minute read
Myth: “In Soviet times, there was friendship of the peoples.” Fact: That is absolutely untrue. In the Soviet Union, inter-ethnic hostility and anti-Semitism were widespread, and the official nationality registered in one’s passport often determined one’s life outcomes. In the military, ethnic groups formed up to defend themselves and attack others. This reflected the fact that “Armenians didn’t like Azerbaijanis, people from the Caucasus tried to subordinate Slavs to themselves, and everyone fraternally disliked Muscovites.”
Myth: “In Soviet times, there was friendship of the peoples.” Fact: That is absolutely untrue. In the Soviet Union, inter-ethnic hostility and anti-Semitism were widespread, and the official nationality registered in one’s passport often determined one’s life outcomes. In the military, ethnic groups formed up to defend themselves and attack others. This reflected the fact that “Armenians didn’t like Azerbaijanis, people from the Caucasus tried to subordinate Slavs to themselves, and everyone fraternally disliked Muscovites.”
‘Friendship of the peoples’ – one of many Soviet myths waiting to be debunked, Mirovich says
Edited by: A. N.

Myths about the Soviet past continue to circulate and even to grow, Maxim Mirovich says; but they are precisely that – myths – that have little basis in reality and mean that Russians today are inclined to think that the past was better than the present in small ways and large.

The Belarusian commentator lists seven such myths and then explains why each is false and is not worthy of being believed:

  1. “The Tastiest Ice Cream.” Russians to this day believe that Soviet ice cream was the tastiest in the world, but they forget two things: it didn’t have competitors in Soviet stores reducing the value of such assertions and Soviet ice cream was produced according to American recipes and on American machinery that began to be imported into the USSR in 1936.“The Tastiest Ice Cream.” Russians to this day believe that Soviet ice cream was the tastiest in the world, but they forget two things: it didn’t have competitors in Soviet stores reducing the value of such assertions and Soviet ice cream was produced according to American recipes and on American machinery that began to be imported into the USSR in 1936.
  2. “There was No Crime in Soviet Times.” One might joke that theft will be less when there is less to steal, Mirovich says; but in fact the Soviet Union was near the top of all countries in terms of all kinds of crime including the most violent.
  3. “The Soviet Union had Its Own Fashion Industry.” It did in the sense that it produced clothes, he says; but it didn’t in that all of its clothing was a ripoff from advertisements in the Burda catalogue.“The Soviet Union had Its Own Fashion Industry.” It did in the sense that it produced clothes, he says; but it didn’t in that all of its clothing was a ripoff from advertisements in the Burda catalogue.
  4. “Soviet cars widely available.” That was true for the elite, but for everyone else, there typically was a wait of ten to 15 years. They weren’t well made and in most cases were copied off of American [or Italian-Ed.] originals.
  5. “The Soviet Union invented the mobile phone.” This is nonsense, Mirovich says. An American company did; but large numbers of Russians to this day believe otherwise and articles keep appearing making that assertion and even showing pictures of the Soviet “invention.”
  6. “Everyone respected the Soviet Union.” Many people feared the Soviet Union, but the number who respected it was quite small. Most viewed it as an impoverished military power that could build nuclear weapons but not provide its people with indoor plumbing.
  7. “In Soviet times, there was friendship of the peoples.” That is absolutely untrue. Inter-ethnic hostility and anti-Semitism were widespread, and the official nationality registered in one’s passport often determined one’s life outcomes. In the military, ethnic groups formed up to defend themselves and attack others. This reflected the fact that “Armenians didn’t like Azerbaijanis, people from the Caucasus tried to subordinate Slavs to themselves, and everyone fraternally disliked Muscovites.”“In Soviet times, there was friendship of the peoples.” That is absolutely untrue. Interethnic hostility and anti-Semitism were widespread, and the official nationality registered in one’s passport often determined one’s life outcomes. In the military, ethnic groups formed up to defend themselves and attack others. This reflected the fact that “Armenians didn’t like Azerbaijanis, people from the Caucasus tried to subordinate Slavs to themselves, and everyone fraternally disliked Muscovites.”

Read More:

Edited by: A. N.
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!