Questionable Research and Worse
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“I want to begin this review by saying unequivocally that I am not a fan of capitalism, and when I found episode 12, What Was Life Like in the Soviet Union, I was hoping to hear a more fair-sided assessment of the subject than one normally finds in the Western media.
My disappointment began when the lack of research was made apparent as one host, while explaining how money, wages, and shopping for food and supplies worked, admitted he didn’t at all know how housing worked. Maybe that sounds nit-picky, but it was merely a prelude to a much more important issue, and seems like a pretty cornerstone subject when researching how an economy operates. And also a pretty simple Google search.
However, my main concern is the carelessness with which the hosts dismissed the Ukrainian famine, both downplaying the numbers and also ultimately concluding that the famine would have occurred no matter who was in charge. This is outrageous, and an outright insult to those who suffered during that horrific time. While it’s true that experts disagree about whether Stalin intentionally set out to liquidate the kulaks or whether he was an equally awful monster that just didn’t care that his policies killed millions, no experts I have ever encountered have ever even begun to suggest that this was solely a totally natural, environmentally caused famine, as our hosts here attempt to do.
It is not anti-communist/anti-socialist propaganda to suggest that Stalin was a terrible dictator, or even that some Soviet programs, like agricultural collectivism, might not have worked. This happens in every economic system at some point.
And for them to reassure the listener that Moscow was sending aid to Ukraine during the famine is only true in that once Stalin’s agricultural collectivism program development was complete, he finally sent relief, which is how the famine then finally ended. Hence, proving that he had a big hand in the famine in the first place.
I do not think the hosts’ intentions are to be propagandists. However, their sloppy research and confirmation bias unfortunately results in something very close to it.”
kate_emilee via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
12/31/21
More reviews of Teach Me Communism
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“Truly love this podcast. I’ve been wanting to dig into the details of communism for a long time but the amount of reading and research was daunting. I feel like I’m the quiet friend hanging out and listening to Grady and Christine’s conversation. The details and history of communism is broken...”Read full review »
Teacup16 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/14/22
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“Been listening to your podcast when out for walks. Really love the interaction. Grady is a good teacher, clear and informed (although occasionally I think he gets a detail wrong). Christine asks good questions and is very funny. Nice job!”
Alan on Politics via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
03/13/22
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“Thank you for teaching me how Stardew Valley is about socialist”
jdkcjdnrjfudchsjwksofjvv via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
05/15/22
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