USA and USSR

My assignment for today was to compare two different countries – Russia and USA. But I thought that it wouldn’t be so interesting to compare US with present Russia. Therefore I’m going to wright about similarities and differences of United States and Russia in the past – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (shortly USSR).

As you know, USSR and USA were the most powerful countries of 20th century. After the World War II they were even called the superpowers. The situation in the world was under their control. Their military power was very huge, and also they were the only owners of the strongest weapon – nuclear bombs.

Well, I think, these were the only similarities between those two countries. All of their other properties were opposite. Even their short names are kind of opposite – US (United States) and SU (Soviet Union)! The first thing to mention is of course their political regimes. It was democracy in United States, while Soviet Union on the contrary had dictatorship. So US had free elections, while SU had only one party and, we could say, that after II World War, when Cold War was in progress, Stalin was the absolute dictator.

Another main difference between these countries is their economic system. In USA it was capitalism, which main idea was free markets. Prices were out of control of government, business and farms were belong people. Soviet Union had the contrary economic system, called communism. Points of view of communism and capitalism, as I said before, are opposite. In USSR almost everything was under control of government. All firms and factories were owned by government, there it was interesting paradox there – people had enough money, but they weren’t able to buy many kinds of things because of deficit.

And the last main difference I couldn’t miss is the social freedom and the freedom of press. Citizen of the United States had a lot of freedom. He was permitted to do a lot of thing that were denied at SU. In US it was opposition of government, people were able to protest and organize demonstrations. Soviet nation had no possibilities like this, had no freedom of speech. The Soviet government maintained strict censorship. So, we can say, that people in Soviet Union had only obligations and no rights.

Well, luckily or unfortunately, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics collapsed at the end of 20th century. Every time I hear this, I remember the song of Scorpions.

<...The world is closing in

Did you ever think

That we could be so close, like brothers

The future's in the air

I can feel it everywhere

Blowing with the wind of change...>

<...Take me to the magic of the moment

On a glory night

Where the children of tomorrow dream away

In the wind of change...>