The State of Affairs in Russia

[Admiral Yi]

Well. That, and that only 40 years ago China was synonymous with Collectivist insanity and 100 years ago Weber talked about how industrialization was impossibl in China because of its culture. And Weber was a genius.

Except that industrialization is not synonymous with the profit motive (see Dugashvilli, Joseph) and China has industrialized.

[Martinus]

One great advantage China had is they are genetically programmed to make money.  Russia is a nation of dull-eyed serfs, patiently waiting in line for their bowl of gruel, and occaisonally rising up to decapitate their masters and rape his wife.

What a bunch of racist bullshit

He is right, though. Also, wasn't aware that Russians were a "race".

[Queequeg]

Well. That, and that only 40 years ago China was synonymous with Collectivist insanity and 100 years ago Weber talked about how industrialization was impossibl in China because of its culture. And Weber was a genius.

Except that industrialization is not synonymous with the profit motive (see Dugashvilli, Joseph) and China has industrialized.

Weber's entire argument was that Confucianism gave no respect to the profit motive.

[Admiral Yi]

Weber's entire argument was that Confucianism gave no respect to the profit motive.

How has that worked out for him?

[Ed Anger]

Argies are sending beef and other AG products to Russia for 12 SU-24 Fencers.

[DontSayBanana]

Argies are sending beef and other AG products to Russia for 12 SU-24 Fencers.

I'd take that trade for Argentinian beef- one of the few things they do right over there.

[Queequeg]

Weber's entire argument was that Confucianism gave no respect to the profit motive.

How has that worked out for him?

Weber was accurately descibing the last 500 years of Chinese history.

[The Brain]

So am I.

Little. Yellow. Different.

[celedhring]

Argies are sending beef and other AG products to Russia for 12 SU-24 Fencers.

I guess it was a matter of time before both countries regressed to a barter economy.

[Ed Anger]

We have old planes, yes? You want to bomb British pigs? yes?

Finest Planes. RT says they are better than F-15E. yes?

[Razgovory]

Weber's entire argument was that Confucianism gave no respect to the profit motive.

How has that worked out for him?

Weber was accurately descibing the last 500 years of Chinese history.

Ehhhhh.  You really need to stop with this academic hero worship.

[Martinus]

Russia never had capitalism before the Soviets - it went straight from feudalism to communism. You can argue some similarities with China there, but on top of that the Chinese had a history of functioning bureaucracy and administration - the only good period Russia had by contrast was when it tried to Westernise under Peter the Great.

[Jacob]

Russia never had capitalism before the Soviets - it went straight from feudalism to communism. You can argue some similarities with China there, but on top of that the Chinese had a history of functioning bureaucracy and administration - the only good period Russia had by contrast was when it tried to Westernise under Peter the Great.

China had functioning proto-capitalism, if not capitalism, for centuries and centuries.

[Jacob]

When China shifted toward market socialism there was a ready supply of Chinese exiles that could come back to the country to help set it up. 

I don't think (though not 100% sure) that this is accurate. It is not my impression that the Chinese diaspora returned to the PRC after the shit to market socialism.

Your larger point, I expect, is accurate - that the diaspora helped the transition. I just don't think it was through any kind of movement of people back to China but rather as an export and expertise network, as well as a source of capital. If someone in China could figure out a way to make widgets (possibly drawing on a connection that had experience with widget making) at a good price, he had a community overseas ready to buy them off his hands.

[Monoriu]

One great advantage China had is they are genetically programmed to make money.

I agree wholeheartedly