9c336773   
   XPost: soc.culture.baltics, soc.culture.czecho-slovak, soc.culture.russian   
   From: kurkku@hassuserveri.fi   
      
   "David Friedman"  kirjoitti   
   viestissä:ddfr-650DC6.18071808082008@newsread1.mlpsca01.us.to.verio.net...   
   >   
   > In defense of James' view, Finland did pay tribute to the USSR at the   
   > beginning of the period in the form of large scale reparations. And the   
   > USSR was arguably in a position to threaten Finland, hence to extort   
   > tribute.   
   >   
   This is a different matter all together. We all know that Finns had to   
   export goods worth hundreds of millions of euros to the Bolsheviks without   
   compensation. The last shipment of this sort took place in 1952. It is very   
   true that a nation torn by a major war and then after by this "war   
   reparation" looting was most effective a tool to keep the Finns very poor.   
      
   But do not confuse it with the barter trade between the two countries   
   (remember the chronological aspect).   
      
   There is a golden rim in every cloud though. Finns had to modernize the   
   industrial structure in the country. That was very harsh a job without   
   capital and the Bolsheviks persistently breathing on your neck. Finns did   
   profit a lot in forthcoming decades about this.   
      
   In 1930's a massive recession hit the Western world - the United States   
   along them. Millions of Americans fell to ultimate poverty and some even   
   perished. Employment of those who had lost everything became of  very high a   
   priority in the US administration. The Hoover dam is one exceptionally fine   
   example about a successful project. It was government built and government   
   owned. The construction was most economical because the labour was extremely   
   cheap (a bowl of soup and a bit money on the top, I reckon). Many criticised   
   this at the time. Nowadays it is seen by almost everyone as a tool to lift   
   the nation out from misery. Cheap electric power for people and industry in   
   a vast area around. Also technically the dam is highly praised. One of the   
   best ever built.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)