The greates problem here in the ex-Eastern Bloc countries is that the communist interpretation of history is basically wiped out. I grew up here and it feels like the socialist era didn't even happen, because everything was systematically destroyed. No Marxist theory, no traditions, absolutely nothing. If you live in Belarus and you are not supportive of the Lukashenka government, please don't support those who want privatization! It's a nightmare what happened here, don't repeat the mistake!

@strega1380

3 жыл бұрын

In my country it was replaced by the braindeadest of nationalism. It sucks.

@MrKataklysm

3 жыл бұрын

@@strega1380 I know that feel pretty well.

@Yassified3425

3 жыл бұрын

Well Latvia Estonia and Lithuania Germany Poland Czechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria and Hungary are doing very well under capitalism. The problem with the rest ex-soviet country's is corruption.

@AfroBolshevik

3 жыл бұрын

@@Yassified3425 the Baltic countries are ehhh okay, but East Germany is still poorer and more underdeveloped than the rest of Germany due to privatisation of the entire economy leading to mass unemployment and far-right radicalisation. All of the countries even in the Baltic regions have been falling to the far-right due to neoliberalism failing to keep any of their promises of the economic miracle of the West. Capitalism is not inherently secure to keep people with a higher standard of living if the bourgeois government does not make their lives easier with concessions like they do in Western Europe. Poland is falling to the far-right, Hungary is turning into a dictatorship, Romania is quick to repress the need of the citizens, the Czech and Slovak Republics are not in the best shape financially either, even Belarus is starting to feel the strain...to say these countries are improving in spite of corruption is underplaying the suffer the millions who lived their went through after they lost their jobs, healthcare, security, and livelihoods. These are the same populations who are fleeing to the West for more opportunities causing a mass depopulation in these regions. There is a reason why most of these countries people who loved under socialism, do want it back...it is quite disheartening

@davidkopecky6687

3 жыл бұрын

​@@Yassified3425 Czechoslovakia is doing great under capitalism?! Maybe, If you are of the privileged upper class, then yes, life is better for you. But If you are member of working class, then hell no! There are poor wages, rising prices of housing, electricity, gas etc, rising poverty, higher criminality, corruption etc. Our agriculture is in ruins, as well as our industry which is mainly owned by foreing capitalist, so most of our wealth is flowing outside the country. And It will only get worse, especially after Corona crisis.

Great timing with this video! I'm sure current events have a lot of people looking for information.

Timing is perfect. Exactly 100 years ago, the battle of Warsaw occurred, and now, a risk of a color revolution in Belarus.

the illiteracy was so significant, because there was no written standard for the Belarussian language and the language that was taught in school was a related though foreign language to them. Belarussian was a supressed language under Polish rule, it was a supressed language under the Tsar and after a short period of liberization in the 1920ies it was supressed again for the remainder of the Soviet Union.

Sorry dude, but I couldn't get why the national question was so central on your analysis.. I mean in the surface people is just tired of Lukashenko who has implemented a system based in secret police and so on to control the main spheres of economics (the family.. Things like gas or oil.. And the like).. So this created a contradiction between a new bourgeois class that wants more independency, a legal jurisdiction that ensures their property (u can lose everything over night if that decision is made up..) On the other hand u have a younger generation that just doesn't fit the social forms of dealing and the political system of ruling the country, however if you throw out the Lukashenko regime a deindustrialization is very likely.. If you open the biealurrusian market to the global market it wouldn't be able to compete.. And without subsidized energy from Russia the economy will collapse ever faster (that's what'll happen in the case that a prowestern regime takes the power..) So the bielarussian economy is stagnating because it has not the capital to properly modernize it and invest in new machinery and the like.. So it's difficult for the Byelorussian products to compete in free markets with developed economies. So you have 3 main parties in conflict the bourgeoisie, the young people that want some kind of modernization of society, thou they don't have a clear idea of what that means and the very clear possibility of being deindustrialized if something happens and Bielorusia comes out of the Russian geopolitical sphere.. So it's a very 90's deadlock, people want more freedom but they don't want some kind of neoliberal economy and you have two political actors the elite that wants to maintain the status quo and the emerging elite that pushes for changes to benefit themselves and nothing else.. Those are the limitations of people sovereignty in the context of actual democracy and a states paradigm.. It has almost nothing to do with their national identity, the national identity it's a modern creation to consolidate the people around a bourgeois elite

@jmagowan12

Жыл бұрын

Maybe room for Socialist transformation.

@user-qi6pv9jh7o

Ай бұрын

Me from Belarus, and that's just what I think. While Lukashenko's state capitalism isn't proletarian, hite-red-white are yet another color revolution trash that would have privatized anything useful and doomed us. I'm more interested in another question: whether the West will try another one during the next "elections", or they've genuinely got racist and irrational against those orcs? Belarus now has some Russian nukes, so stakes get higher if the West bothers to intervene again.

I've never heard much about Belarus until recently given the obvious situation. I'm surprised to hear it's so developed, and I'm glad to see internationalism had really gained good support. Wonderful video

keep up the excellent work. you're one of the most earnestly educational channels on here!

Great video, the way you presented the analysis was very informative. Keep up the good work!

I think the USSR's main problem over the course of its existence was the contradiction between creating a union of Socialist Republics and doing this in the former Russian Empire. Some over towards Éire/ Ireland make it almost that we can get the United Kingdom and put a red flag over it and call it a day when this would consciously or not reinforce nearly a millinia of imperialism. Though the Soviet National questions are so many and complicated and thanks for highlighting it as it effects BeloRussia or Belarus as it exists now.

Belarusian motivation behind the protest is different from one in Ukraine, therefore they can't be compared to each other. The people of Belarus don't want another Maidan, they said that loud and clear (I can't refer to English language news outlets as we get information from Russian ones). As one Belarusian socialist recently commented "the fact that healthcare and hospitals are not privatised, doesn't make Belarus a socialist state", a trap to which many western tankies (referring to them NOT in a derogative manner) fall into, unfortunately, in addition to the Soviet aesthetics that many love so dearly. Lukashenko and his government are not a workers' friends and we shouldn't forget that.

@themarxistproject

3 жыл бұрын

It's good to hear that the prorests are taking the most sound stances. No doubt the situation in Belarus is different from Ukraine. The point in the video was more to suggest that the same hidden agendas (from the West and from Russia) will certainly be deployed to transform Belarus into another Ukraine. I think I speak for (almost) everyone on the Left when I say that I am ardently hoping the Belarusian people can take matters into their own hands and throw off the chains of all the oppressors.

@VocalBear213

3 жыл бұрын

@@themarxistproject sorry to bring you down to earth, but there are no sound stances in the majority of the protesters. Freedom of speech and "fair elections" - that's it, folks.

@Alexxactly

3 жыл бұрын

Михаил Воробьёв And simply because of that fair demand at least 2 people dead, 80 are missing, female prisoners are raped with the rubber bats and hundreds brutally beaten up. The people’s issue right now is Lukashenko, with other things they will sort out later.

@Alexxactly

3 жыл бұрын

Juan Devoto Lack in organisation should not be an argument against people’s demand to fair elections, for example. And during the protests there were loads of instance of self organization, people offer help from many industries, like law and dentistry for those who were beaten up and taken down by the militia. Yes, there is no vAnGuArD pArTy, but people need to take a breather also, as well as SOME freedom in order to get organized. Because of Luka leftists (other than the big Belarus Communist party, who are not that left) are practically forbidden from organizing meetings in the first place. What type of organization then we can even talk about?

@jamieenoshima5147

3 жыл бұрын

If they say they won't be taking over by fascists like Ukraine then i guess that won't happen. ^^ The opposition was recently praising Hitler so the same Nazi social base is in momentum in Belarus. Not a small minority within the protesters either at speeches people clapping and cheering for the Nazis. The Western leftists or "tankies" are doing the usual this regime change will be different. It's not, it's to open up the market to be cannibalised by the west. It's also important as Belarus is the last country where NATO Enhanced forward presence hasn't built upon yet. You can have your optimism but i've found it to be misguided at best in the past and at worst complicit in atrocities like Libya, Syria.

This served as a nice historical overview of soviet belarus, very much enjoyed!

You should make a video on Tuva!

Gotta comment for that algorithm. Love the well researched content this channel consistency pumps out.

Excellent video comrade

I am now more and more often wondering about the logic behind the border changes of the republics, especially eastern Ukraine, as it captured more of the public's attention this days. There were three different soviet republics on the territory of modern Ukraine: Ukrainian socialist republic, Odessa soviet and the Donetsk-Krivorozhskaya soviet republic. The Donetsk-Krivorozhskaya republic was mostly integrated into Ukraine without consultation with the population. In general, many border changes were made from above and makes me think that this might have complicated things in today's context.

@leaveme3559

11 ай бұрын

Russia probably wishes Ukraine was divided into 3 separate republics

A great video with a magistral timing! I really love your videos about history (expecially about the history of the USSR) and I hope that you will continue to prepare them!

This is a superb upload comrade. Keep up the good work!

Here’s a comment to boost your algorithm score. Keep up the good work comrade!

Thanks. Became curious about Belarus after the news today, this was a great overview

Beautifully informed video.

Thank you for the video, comrades! Жду каждый раз!

Great video comrade! I really needed to learn more about the historical background of Belarus and you summarised it + applied a Marxist analysis, all in 20 minutes!

Great conclusion. Sorry your channel doesn’t have more views. Love your stuff.

Very informative and insightful video.

Wow, great video.

19:17 I was looking forward to this part all throughout the video.

@comontista3124

3 жыл бұрын

19:17... the year of the revolution.

hey I love your content I wonder if you could make a podcast too

This is a terrific analysis, thanks.

Commenting for the algorithm

Brilliant video

Thx for this video, good to see someone explain complex situation of my region in English. Russia and Poland had been in imperialistic clash for centuries and now after long period of Russian victory Polish nationalists are back for new round, now as US vassals aspiring to regain the position of main bully of the region. I sincerly hope Belarus people will manage to navigate this situation for their benefit.

Great work comrade

Talk about Belarus economic system.

Fascinating! 🖖

Very Hegelian of you. Great video.

Hey! Thanks for a great video. I have one point to make though as stating that Belarusian is doing well was a heavy overstatement. I would even go so far as to say that at this point I am more confident in my English let alone Russian than my first(allegedly) native language - Belarusian. I would say that around 85% of people here use Belarusian either to show off or as part of their school/university programs. It is all unfortunate of course but true nevertheless.

Can you make in future a video about economic calculation problem under socialism?

Belarus is a wonderful place to live, it's clean safe no crime and very affordable. There has been a big migration of people from western european countries in the last decade due to economic decay in western Europe and crime . Belarus is the place to be

Gota comment argorithm.

Comment for the algorithm

to some other comments... lenin/bolsheviks emphasized the application of marx-lenin/bolsheviks socialism/communism ACCORDING to situations and circumstances... present generation to upcoming generstions are FACING computer age... the simple advise from computer ignorant generations is: sincerely explore marx-lenin and all leaders/countries that are capable to declare that their governance is socialist/communist... how each country evolved through their experiences and experiences of others...how stalin strongly advised fraternal ties and say he trust the soviet russia people in the continuity of marx-lenin socialism/communism... how mao strongly relied and trusted people of the countrysides... how ho gained the support of the vast majority of vietnamese people mao support and soviet support... how kim gained the unimaginable trust of the vast majority of korea people... how castro survived many washington attempts to kill castro... how chavez gained the support of the military and the moral support of the red east... THEN TAKE NOTE: all failures are but natural... trials and errors are necessary... FACT: socialism of whatever pattern of source is already a solid political foundation... it is because of cia-america imperialists/supremacists INTENSE ANTAGONISM that socialism is being worked out in subtle ways... if you would explore teheran indepth governance, it has some socialist programs and socialist patterns... their MAIN ingredient is ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES for their governance... baath party/syria is marx-lenin socialists... so i reiterate: lenin advised, evaluate situations and circumstances of the lands the people the global political arena, then you would know how to apply marx-lenin socialism/communism...

@danielalvarez-galan3702

3 жыл бұрын

based Schizophrenic

3:40 Typical Great Power or Utility

based

am i too early

@B_A-tr

3 жыл бұрын

No

@lukastaylor9544

3 жыл бұрын

yes

مصير بيلاروسيا ألا نضمام إلى الاتحاد الروسي فهم شعب واحد

@Riwecrew

Жыл бұрын

Lol.

Both-sides-ing this issue seems geopolitically naive. There is little discussion here of global hegemony and the counter-hegemonic forces that are struggling at a higher level. While it is hinted at regarding the Soviet era, it is largely ignored as regards today. Russia, in the case of today, is on the defensive against US imperialism and China is moving toward multipolarity. Because it is clear Russia cannot trust Ukraine and (a 'democratic') Belarus to act against the existing hegemony of the US, the reasons for the Russian stance toward the Eastern Europe is pretty understandable. As a US citizen, it seems the only practical stance is to support Russia against the US and NATO in such an issue rather than wait for a worker's third way that does not exist.

On the events in Belarus What is going on in Belarus is not a “maidan”, it’s a democratic revolution. The main moving force of this revolution, its backbone, is the working class of Belarus. Whether this democratic revolution will win or get defeated by the counter-revolution (presented by the yet not overthrown clan of oligarchs led by Lukashenko or presented by the so-called “opposition” reflecting the interests of other groups of the largest capitalist monopolies, including foreign ones), we do not know yet - it will depend on the ratio of the class power in Belarus, on the actions of the classes participating in the revolution, on the working class, on its awareness, cohesiveness and organization. The democratic revolution in Belarus is not yet going beyond the bourgeois framework and is not seeking to change the social structure radically (to replace the capitalist way of production with the communist way of production), which means that, in its content, this is a bourgeois-democratic, anti-imperialist, anti-fascist revolution. But due to the objective laws of social development, if the leadership (the hegemony) of the working class remains, if the latter manages to coalesce into its class political party of the Bolshevik variety and unite all working folk of Belorussia around itself, this revolution will have every chance to grow into a socialist revolution. Read further work-way.com/en/2020/09/03/on-the-events-in-belarus/

@user-qi6pv9jh7o

Ай бұрын

>democratic revolution Turn bourgeois democracy into another bourgeois democracy with Western tendency and a chance for fascism? No thanks.

It's crazy how Lukashenko has been in power more time than I have lived... like, go home already, let the party rejuvenate itself :/

@Tuxalonso

3 жыл бұрын

how about the people of belarus, particularly the members of their party, decide when and who goes.

@kobemop

3 жыл бұрын

leadership should be based on competency, not who's your fave person.

@nick1237811

3 жыл бұрын

@@kobemop that's the most antidemocratic thing ever, but ok

@waluigi43

2 жыл бұрын

@@nick1237811 Democracy is a very flawed concept, even Plato said that. Competency is good but the most important thing is the LAW, there should be a law, based on love, truth and mercy. Every person should have the same rights, but no one should have the right to oppose the law of love. This is what communism should be build upon, not on personal cults, not on so called democracy.

@alekshukhevych2644

2 жыл бұрын

@@Tuxalonso LOL, so how did it go? Did he listen to their decision?

There was so much wrong in this video that its impressive. Belarus Identity? Synthesis of the old and new? No actual path to self determination allowed? "De facto" Autonomy? Sheesh I wished western communists would never make any videos on the USSR. Belarus has at the time no "identity" it was not formed it only came from the "Inteligentsia" of belarus. The states had all its own autonomy with its own courts and their own national party. There is so much wrong in this just please never make a video about the USSR or eastern europe.

@themarxistproject

3 жыл бұрын

You should consider rewatching the video, you appear to have missed a lot of crucial theses. The very beginning lays out precisely how Belarusian academics, encouraged by Soviet political forces, indeed did create the first Belarusian identity. In the opening, we point out that prior to the revolution, Belarus did not have its own identity. It's naive to assume that the republics had complete self-determination. The RSFSR had way more power when it came to dictating domestic and foreign policy. Yes each republic had its own party and legal system, but the inter-union institutions were only equal in name. In reality, the power dynamic was in Moscow's favor. Nothing demonstrates this better than the reversal of certain indigenization policies and the promotion of Russian as a dominant language. This is not to say that the republics did not enjoy considerable freedoms in some respects and the local parties did have a huge impact on their regions. Moreover, the policies of korenizatsia ensured that local parties were made up of local activists, workplace leaders, and community members. To suggest, however, that the BSSR (or any other republics) was equal in status to the RSFSR is to reject critical historical analysis. The most valuable thing the Soviet Union left behind was the opportunity for us to learn from its successes and its failures (and everything in between). If we are not willing to engage with the history honestly, we are forfeiting that important learning opportunity. P.S. this video was written and made by a non-western communist and it should be worth pointing out that an argument's validity does not rest on where its proponent comes from. I'm sure you are well aware that there are many so-called communists living in the post-Soviet world who have a very twisted and poorly developed view of history.

@branilavvasic9727

3 жыл бұрын

I fully agree. Most western comunists dont know what they are talking about.

You are not pronouncing country name correctly

@michaellevin1400

Жыл бұрын

he states that he will refer to it as "Belarussia" for historical purposes and as a fellow Belarusian, I grant him that; no need to language police.

I find it remarkable that, without batting an eyelid, you said that Poland (!!!) attacked Belarus. I assume all other armies drafted in occupied territories also attacked Belarus? And Belarus attacked itself via its SS legion? This is a really dishonest way of presenting an insanely complex and horrifying history of my region. You don’t get to do that. Our history is not there for your propaganda spins.

@themarxistproject

3 жыл бұрын

Not sure what you're referring to but the Polish-Soviet conflict became an all-out war after Jozef Pilsudksi launched an offensive campaign towards the East. It was an explicit power grab and a war of territorial expansion. These are not my claims, they are established historical facts. As for Belarus under Polish occupation, that information was cited directly from a published historical analysis (which you are welcome to explore yourself). Check out the description for all the sources used. Sorry, but this is "my region" too. Nationality does not inherently determine the validity of an argument or analysis.

@laurandz

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I might’ve gotten a little fired up. I can’t rewatch the bit I was talking about at the moment, but I assumed / misunderstood that you were talking about the battle of Radzymin in 1944. Now I realise you must’ve referred to to 1920, eh? Now I feel dumb. But I retract my hysterical rant. I’m just incredibly tired of people using the blood lands of the Eastern front - the Baltics, Poland, BY, Ukraine... - to spin their narratives. The history, the memories of the people living through that (like my gran), the insanity of it all is difficult enough to try to get our heads around it, and then come to terms that there really were no good choices.

@themarxistproject

3 жыл бұрын

@@laurandz no worries! I can see why you'd be upset by that. But yeah I was referring to the 1920 war. As a fellow Eastern European, I understand that sentiment. My family lived through it all too. It's a complicated and bloody history that many onlookers use for their own narratives.