History /
Why is Poland such an American boot licker? [60]
Planned economies don't work and the standard of living is generally very low.
I used to live in one of (more or less) planned economy. So, can compare condition "everyone have money but no goods in everyday shops except basic food and necessities" with "40 brands of sausages but not enough money even to buy cheapest one" of beginning of 1990's.
And while comparing living standard of USSR/DDR to western counterparts, do not forget, that socialist countries was under numerous embargoes and sanctions all the time. COCOM limitations, Jackson-Vanik amendment - just the examples. And about Jackson-Vanik amendment - it stay active many years after emigration of jews was made free. So, it was not due to jews right to emigrate, it was just one more way to cause some economical harm. And it was cancelled just to enact Magnitsky act...
And, just as Magnitsky is remembered. Local criminal authorities opened new case against William Browder. Their russian partners, Gasanov, Kurochkin, Magnitsky and Korobeinikov, died due to very similar disease, that include myocardial atrophy. Samples of all four contained similar aluminium-organic toxic compound, that now known to cause degeneration of kidneys and myocard. Probably Alexander Perepelichny, that died in 2012 in London, had the same cause of death.
