Explanation: Boris Yeltsin, at the time just an up-and-coming Soviet legislator, made a visit to the USA in 1989. During this visit, he, on a lark, decided to visit a local grocery store, to see how the average American shopped.
He was blown away by what he saw. No Soviet store would have stocked such a range, quality, or kept it in supply - even the ‘special’ stores only privileged Soviet citizens were permitted to purchase from.
Regardless of one’s opinions on capitalism (Marxist, anti-Marxist, or even [shudder] pro-capitalist), Yeltsin was absolutely correct that the Soviet system of central planning, specifically, had squandered the immense potential of the Soviet Union, and that the people of the Soviet Union suffered for it. That very small visit had a major impact on Yeltsin, who was already part of the reformer faction inside the USSR.
A shame he was otherwise a shithead unsuited to lead his country out of the 60 years of totalitarian oligarchy it had struggled under.
Yeah, the reason it being on a whim and unannounced was so integral to his reaction is that, to him, it completely ruled out the idea that the store might’ve been specially stocked ahead of time like some Potemkin village.
I’m not sure “on a lark” is accurate. A surprise to the American hosts, certainly, but how sure are we that it wasn’t a premeditated ‘gotcha’ tactic on Yeltsin’s part?
Explanation: Boris Yeltsin, at the time just an up-and-coming Soviet legislator, made a visit to the USA in 1989. During this visit, he, on a lark, decided to visit a local grocery store, to see how the average American shopped.
He was blown away by what he saw. No Soviet store would have stocked such a range, quality, or kept it in supply - even the ‘special’ stores only privileged Soviet citizens were permitted to purchase from.
Regardless of one’s opinions on capitalism (Marxist, anti-Marxist, or even [shudder] pro-capitalist), Yeltsin was absolutely correct that the Soviet system of central planning, specifically, had squandered the immense potential of the Soviet Union, and that the people of the Soviet Union suffered for it. That very small visit had a major impact on Yeltsin, who was already part of the reformer faction inside the USSR.
A shame he was otherwise a shithead unsuited to lead his country out of the 60 years of totalitarian oligarchy it had struggled under.
Never knew it was on a lark. Wonder how many impactful moments have happened because of happenstance.
I love this one though. It is small but telling as to the whole experience of the people.
Yeah, the reason it being on a whim and unannounced was so integral to his reaction is that, to him, it completely ruled out the idea that the store might’ve been specially stocked ahead of time like some Potemkin village.
On topic, video of a Cuban family visiting a Brazilian market for the first time (video not in English):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASx4oHVgzus
I’m not sure “on a lark” is accurate. A surprise to the American hosts, certainly, but how sure are we that it wasn’t a premeditated ‘gotcha’ tactic on Yeltsin’s part?