298f2fb2   
   XPost: soc.culture.baltics, soc.culture.czecho-slovak, soc.culture.russian   
   From: ddfr@daviddfriedman.nopsam.com   
      
   In article <5fnlk.44302$_03.22569@reader1.news.saunalahti.fi>,   
    "J. Anderson"  wrote:   
      
   >   
   > "James A. Donald"  wrote in message   
   > news:pjoa94l29pc40ofie97ildhhlttkuf21q7@4ax.com...   
   >   
   > > Finn's *had* to sell stuff to Russia, and *had* to   
   > > accept worthless rubles in exchange.  Big difference.   
   >   
   > Wrong. Finno-Soviet trade was based on clearing. No rubles changed owner in   
   > any direction.   
   >   
   > As far as values are concerned, Finland bought raw materials at lower than   
   > world market prices and sold manufactured goods and construction projects at   
   > higher prices than it could get on the western markets.   
      
   1. Can you provide any support for that claim? So far all we have are   
   claims on both sides.   
      
   2. Why would the Soviets choose to trade on those terms, instead of   
   selling their raw materials on the world market and buying manufactured   
   goods on the world market? Are you arguing that the Soviets were bribing   
   the Finns in order to get the Finns to provide either support for Soviet   
   policy or an example of how safe it was to be outside the western   
   alliance or both?   
      
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