capitalism vs communism?

Question

did capitalism really beat the Soviet Union? the Soviet Union entered the cold war with fewer resources and a higher poverty rate than US, after having endured over 100 years of imperialism. america entered with a head start, and a good economy because no one tried to cheat it. america won because it stayed in the wealthy condition that it was in, the Soviets lost because they could not get out of the poor condition that they started in quick enough.
Is this fair play? we cannot conclude that the Soviets lost...

Answer 1

The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. - Sun Tzu

It's taught at military academies and business schools alike: the smart fighter doesn't look for a challenge, but rather the chance to beat somebody when he's down. Quick, easy, painless victories are the key, as they allow you to achieve vitctory at minimum cost. Capitalism vs communism wasn't fair? SO WHAT! That's the nature of competition, you seek to exploit the enemy's weaknesses while minimizing your own. There is no such thing as fair play. If you don't know you're going to win, don't go to war.

Answer 2

Why do you think the Soviet Union had a poor economy? In a communist system success is punished in order to make everyone equal; equally dirt poor. The average Soviet worker was forced by the government to work for little more than a loaf of bread a day, because there was no one to do any hiring except the goverment. When a government makes a policy of eliminating the upper class, then the middle class, until there is no one left but the lower class, the economy suffers.

Answer 3

Russia has been experiencing a boom in capital investment since the beginning of 2007. Russian economic growth hit a six-year high of 7.9% year on year in the first quarter, propelled by strong growth in construction, manufacturing and trade. The result is particularly impressive in light of the small contribution made by oil and gas. Although economic growth is likely to ease during the rest of the year, robust domestic demand may ensure that the full-year rate does not slow appreciably from the 6.7% outturn seen in 2006.

The main factors behind the 7.9% headline growth figure were a 23.2% rise in construction, an 11.8% expansion in manufacturing and a 9.1% increase in trade. Large gains were also registered for hotels and restaurants (13.9%), the wholesale and retail trade (9.1%), financial intermediation (9.9%) and transport and communication (7.9%). In the year-earlier period, GDP growth was 5% and in the fourth quarter of 2006 it was 7.8%.

Answer 4

But the reason they stayed poor is because they had a closed society. You need the resources of the entire world to have strong economy, and when you close yourself off to some of the strongest economies in the world, you are bound to be stuck where you are.

Answer 5

The Soviet Union obviously lost, because it ceased to exist.

And we used a battlefield where we started with the advantage -- a more stable economy -- that's just good tactics.

Answer 6

Communism is a far superior politial organization. The only problem with it is, it doesn't work. Winston Churchill said, "Democracy may not be the best form of society, but it's the best form of society that works."

Answer 7

Communism and socialism are slowly beating themselves, because at their heart they work against human nature.

Human beings won't work at their best unless rewarded. Only capitalism does that.

Answer 8

they lost - the only reason china survived is because we let them ride our coat tails and that will come back to haunt us one day I am sure -