You're not wrong, but frankly the USSR doesn't have economic power to do what needs to be done. It's a sunken cost fallacy. So I'll update my statement pick some of the good ideas you and @5je1ryj have, but only the ones that er feasible with a closed wallet or near so:That's political suicide and honestly suicide for USSR as well.
Potentially deadly for our own reform if not handled well. OTL the USSR supplied resources, the pact finished goods if i understood correctly. That might compete with our own nascent industry if unchecked.COMECON reforms:
- Decrease or eliminate barriers for trade as much as possible (it will give COMECON countries extra currency and add incentive for specialization as well as focusing on consumer goods and will decrease shortages in the Union)
I'm trying to find the link, but didnt they try that with salt and it failed spectacularly? Regardless, salaries will not move, so will be tricky. Plus smells like capitalism.
- Deregulate prices on goods procured from trade(will increase incentives for trade and create some competition)
Agreed
- Create/expand(I think one already exists, but I am not sure) a student exchange program with a focus on USSR as the target for these exchanges and top students (secure the elites and cultivate eastern block friendships)
Agreed, but expensive and at risk of abuse
- Establish a series of consumer standards for trade goods and agencies responsible for their enforcement(maker sure that they are staffed by members of each countries), it will ensure that the prices are not the only thing countries can compete on.
Agreed
- Create a standardized system of logos which will represent the origin of any given product and make these logos mandatory for exporters (more incentives to focus on quality for the exporter).
Agreed
- Establish as many common institutions across the newly created market as possible to disincentivize the dissolution of COMECON.
Fine
- Streamline tourism
Agreed, without doping and child abuse
- > Expand sport related Championships within the union
If possible, but not easy & maybe risky
- Attempt to restructure the debt of all member nations
Agreed, but expensive and needs lots of checks - corruption and the black market are killing
- Create a COMECON statistic office only for review by the different governments, as accurate as possible (to prevent confusion regarding the actual reality)
$$$ love it but not feasibleThe rest will be of the category nice to have:
- Change the railroad gauge of the European nations to USSR standard(claim strategic necessity for mobilization purposes)
Undecided, it worked for the EU, but not sure if it works for the pact. The economic difference between the pact is much larger, USSR alone was 65% of the pact power.
- Establish a common currency for the COMECON tied to Ruble
Agreed, priority
- Create a unified banking system
not sure, but agreed
- Create methods for investments by different countries into other nations industries
Agreed, but how to enforce?
- Set up a minimum standards for governance and average citizens quality of life tied to subventions and penalties
Agreed
- Try to redistribute the defence spendings across the different countries
$$$ not sure if they will deliver fast enough when we're reforming. Great long term plan though
- Attempt to create some pan COMECON infrastructure projects which will benefit all nations (highways, railroads, canals) funded by all nations (mostly by USSR)
$$, but good idea nonetheless
- Create a unified electrical grid to ease trading and prevent burnouts of blackouts in any given nation
yeah what @5je1ryj said!I vote for @5je1ryj plan.
The rest will be of the category nice to have:
- Decrease or eliminate barriers for trade as much as possible (it will give COMECON countries extra currency and add incentive for specialization as well as focusing on consumer goods and will decrease shortages in the Union)
- Deregulate prices on goods procured from trade(will increase incentives for trade and create some competition)
- Create/expand(I think one already exists, but I am not sure) a student exchange program with a focus on USSR as the target for these exchanges and top students (secure the elites and cultivate eastern block friendships)
- Establish a series of consumer standards for trade goods and agencies responsible for their enforcement(maker sure that they are staffed by members of each countries), it will ensure that the prices are not the only thing countries can compete on.
- Create a standardized system of logos which will represent the origin of any given product and make these logos mandatory for exporters (more incentives to focus on quality for the exporter).
- Establish as many common institutions across the newly created market as possible to disincentivize the dissolution of COMECON.
- Streamline tourism
- Expand sport related Championships within the union
- Attempt to restructure the debt of all member nations
- Create a COMECON statistic office only for review by the different governments, as accurate as possible (to prevent confusion regarding the actual reality)
- Change the railroad gauge of the European nations to USSR standard(claim strategic necessity for mobilization purposes)
- Establish a common currency for the COMECON tired to Ruble
- Create a unified banking system
- Create methods for investments by different countries into other nations industries
- Set up a minimum standards for governance and average citizens quality of life tied to subventions and penalties
- Try to redistribute the defence spendings across the different countries
- Attempt to create some pan COMECON infrastructure projects which will benefit all nations (highways, railroads, canals) funded by all nations (mostly by USSR)
- Create a unified electrical grid to ease trading and prevent burnouts of blackouts in any given nati
and while we are at it we can nuke the nation and offer regan a surender and reacharound, that honestly may be less disasterusAbolish it. Unless significant economic change hits the states, they are a drain on the Soviet Economy. Given the rebellious nature of most of the populations, investing for long term is a roll of the dice.
Seriously, cut them loose. Edit: only keep the Soviet bases. Funded by them. In turn, allow free elections.
secondedalso crackpot idea but i think the soviet union should also try to bring back OGAS just for the pure alt hist scenario of "fully automated luxury communism"
Your correct, thats why they will be introduced step by step, and more controversial from perspective of our puppets would be postponed for now.All those ideas seem interesting from economical POV, but many COMECON /WP countries might be highly unhappy with them. I can easily imagine rumours among their popularion that the common currency, unified banking system, common institutions etc. are in fact first steps to full incorporation into the USSR. And that will be unacceptable both for ruling elites (perhaps except Bulgaria) and population. Poland could explode, e.g. And sabotage of new policies on every level could happen.
Such reforms will have to be presented very carefully by state propaganda. Problem is that in 1980s the people of the socialist block were becoming more and more distrustful towards the official news agencies, press and tv. It will not be easy to convince the Poles or the East Germans or the Czechs that their countries will not become next Soviet republics.
The ones that would allow to better people's lives should go first (like reduction of military spending and using the money and production for consumption goods, appartments entertainment etc.). With higher standard of living the satelites (especially Poland) will be more willing to accept other changes,Your correct, thats why they will be introduced step by step, and more controversial from perspective of our puppets would be postponed for now.
And Bulgaria?Also my comment on to what extent our reforms are introduced in our eastern European Satellites:
Hungary/Czechoslovakia: 100%
Poland:75%
East Germany: 60%
Romania: 10%
Yeah forgot Bulgaria - 100%The ones that would allow to better people's lives should go first (like reduction of military spending and using the money and production for consumption goods, appartments entertainment etc.). With higher standard of living the satelites (especially Poland) will be more willing to accept other changes,
And Bulgaria?
All those ideas seem interesting from economical POV, but many COMECON /WP countries might be highly unhappy with them. I can easily imagine rumours among their popularion that the common currency, unified banking system, common institutions etc. are in fact first steps to full incorporation into the USSR. And that will be unacceptable both for ruling elites (perhaps except Bulgaria) and population. Poland could explode, e.g. And sabotage of new policies on every level could happen.
Such reforms will have to be presented very carefully by state propaganda. Problem is that in 1980s the people of the socialist block were becoming more and more distrustful towards the official news agencies, press and tv. It will not be easy to convince the Poles or the East Germans or the Czechs that their countries will not become next Soviet republics.