The USSR began to fall in 1934

[the_sociallist]

I was reading the article "If America should go Communism" written by Trotsky in August 1934.

The second paragraph reads: " A the present most Americans regard communism solely in the light of the experience of the Soviet Union. They fear lest Sovietism in America would produce the same material result as it brought for the culturally backward peoples of the Soviet Union"

This statement written so long ago could never be more true. It expresses the general feeling toward Sociallism in America today.

[EamonnCC]

Hey,

Personally I would argue that the Soviet Union truly fell in 1921 when Stalin took control of the CP.

At this point, the revolutionary ideals of workers democracy in Russia were put to the sword as Uncle Joe set about his betryal of the revolution.  The result of this, allied to the social problems created by the Civil War, was the formation of a totally centralised, beaurocratic dictatorship - the total opposite of what Lenin and Trotsky were trying to achieve.  After this, the Soviet Union never reconvered.

Admittedly its not quite as simple as that but that's basically what happened.

For the best analysis of what went wrong in the USSR, I think Leon Trotsky's Revolution Betrayed would be highly-recommended though I've never actually read it myself.  Still, what foresight the greAT MAN HAD.

In comradeship,
Eamonn

[marx_was_right]

A huge factor was the failure of the German revolution, not only did this isolate Russia but it helped bring Hitler to power (with the aid of Stalin) and although the workers of the USSR stood heroic in the second world war they suffered massive cassualties and were mortally wounded.