The USSR yes. China still has a population which is about three quarters peasants. Since the Chinese "communists" abandoned anything which could be called communism, it has been developing rapidly, but as far as most of the population is concerned, China is not a lot more_economically_ developed than it was in 1949. That's why millions are migrating to the bigger cities and overseas. Vietnam is now heading down the same road. Castro has done remarkably well to survive politically following the collapse of Comecon, but Cuba clearly has big problems.
-I would beg to disagree with you on China. Mao´s China had a per capita -GDP growth of 2,5% an year, despite the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural -Revolution (whose results were less harmful). This is not a miracle when -compared with South Korea and Japan, but meant the reversion of 150 years -of absolute decline. And improvements in life expectancy and infant -mortality from 1949-76 were impressive (althought the results are less -impressive in the field of education). China today is much better -developed than in 1949. It´s percapita GDP increased by two times from -1949-76 and four times since then, for a total of 8 times.
The Chinese communists certainly "cracked down hard" on capital. I can't imagine how anyone could possibly justify that assertion in relation to Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia. These, if they shared much in common at all, other than successful capitalist development, shared _dirigisme_. In other words, strong, capitalist states promoted some local/indigenous capitalists over others and over global capital. These policies were possible because Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia were front line states in regard to.....Chinese communism. A small number of local capitalists did very well under the umbrella of the global capitalist military alliance. Further generalisations are difficult.
-You´re right. The success of South Korea and Taiwan owes too much to -communism. I wonder if the USA would tolerate the statist/merchantilist -policies of those countries if they were in Latin America, for instance, -and still kept the market opened to them. -Not to mention the amount of financial help given to those countries.
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.530 / Virus Database: 325 - Release Date: 22/10/03