75 – Dialogue: What was good in the USSR?

75 – Dialogue: What was good in the USSR?

Author: Daria Molchanova June 28, 2018 Duration: 27:22

Text in Russian:

– Ну что, давай поговорим про жизнь в СССР. Были плюсы, были минусы. Сначала про плюсы. Что хорошего было? Если тебя попросят выделить три пункта, три плюса. Без политики, без каких-то таких вещей. Просто как человек в повседневной жизни. Три плюса.

– Ну… Мне нравилось, что тогда не было такого жесткого разделения на бедных и богатых. Все-таки жили все более менее ровно.

– Ровно бедно или нормально?

– Средний уровень. Да, была верхушка, олигархи были. Но это не было выражено так, как сейчас. Пенсионеры получают в тысячу раз меньше, чем, например, депутаты. Был какой-то плюс, потому что выделялись другим. Не одеждой, не финансовым положением, а брали чем-то другим: умом, достижениями. Это больше ценилось.

– Ладно, второй плюс.

– Ну второй плюс – это то, что государство обеспечивало в общем-то всех работой. Причем той, которой ты хотел заниматься. Три года государство тебе помогало. Была стабильность. То есть у тебя… после ВУЗа ты не переживал, куда ты пойдешь работать. У тебя всегда было место с зарплатой и с жильем. Тебе предоставляли как молодому специалисту три года. Давали жилье и зарплату. Это гарантия государственная была, сейчас этого нет.

– Что еще хорошего?

– Ощущение такое было, что страна огромная, дружная. Вот эта фраза «15 республик – 15 сестёр». И это был патриотизм, это была любовь к Родине. А про минусы мы сейчас скажем.

 

Translation:

– Well, let's talk about life in the USSR. There were pluses and there were minuses. First about the pluses. What was good there? If someone asks you to name 3 points, 3 pluses. Without politics, without anything like that. Just like a person in everyday life. 3 pluses.

– Well… I liked that there was no big difference between poor and rich. Everybody lived more or less equally.

– Equally poor or better?

– Something in the middle. Yes, there was a top, there were oligarchs. But it wasn't as obvious as it is now. Pensioners earn a thousand times less than, for example, deputies. There was some plus. People could stand out differently. Not with clothes, not with financial success, but with intelligence and achievements. It was valued more.

– Ok, the second plus.

– Well, the second plus is that the state provided a job for everyone. The job you wanted to have. For 3 years the state was helping. There was stability. I mean that after college you didn't worry about where to go. You always had a job with a good salary and accommodation. As a young specialist, you were provided with it for 3 years. They gave you an accommodation and a job. It was a state guarantee, now there's no such a thing.

– What else was good?

– There was a feeling that the country was huge and united. This phrase «15 republics, 15 sisters». It was patriotism, it was love to the motherland. And now we'll talk about minuses.

You can buy me a cup of coffee here – https://www.buymeacoffee.com/realrussianclub 

Join my Membership program for more lessons – https://realrussianclub.com/membership/

Support my podcast here –  https://www.patreon.com/realrussianclub

or on PayPal – slowrussian@gmail.com 


Daria Molchanova’s Slow Russian offers a patient, accessible path to understanding spoken Russian. As an experienced teacher, Daria structures each episode around clear, deliberately paced conversation, removing the common hurdle of native speed that can overwhelm learners. The core of this podcast is its namesake pace: spoken Russian delivered slowly enough to follow, yet naturally enough to feel authentic. Each segment typically includes a vocabulary breakdown, where key words and phrases are explained in context, turning listening practice into a direct lesson. Beyond grammar and pronunciation, Daria weaves in observations on Russian culture, traditions, and the nuances of daily life, providing the contextual glue that makes language stick. It’s designed for those who want to move beyond textbooks and engage with the rhythm and substance of the language in a manageable way. The result is a learning tool that feels less like a lecture and more like a guided tour of the Russian language, building comprehension and confidence with each slow-spoken episode. You can find more resources and episodes on the podcast’s main website.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 119

Slow Russian
Podcast Episodes
I need your HELP! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09
Dear friends, I would love to invite you to my summer course at the University of Colorado! You do not need to be a registered degree-seeking student to join. The group is small, only 14 students, and we still need 9 mor…
112 – Difference Between УЧИТЬСЯ, УЧИТЬ, ИЗУЧАТЬ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:21
Let's talk about the difference between УЧИТЬ, УЧИТЬСЯ, ИЗУЧАТЬ. Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT…
111 – The Most Famous Spacecraft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:22
Let's talk about the Buran :D Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT of useful materials for self-learn…
110 – The best Halloween song EVER (in Russian:)) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:40
Nightmare before Christmas in Russian is one of my favorite cartoons :) I hope you enjoy this version as much as I do! Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/co…
109 – Catherine the Great (why is she popular?) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:41
Who is Catherine the Great and why is she popular? Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT of useful mat…
108 – Lion King in Russia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:59
Let's talk about Lion King in Russian :D I love this cartoon! Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT of…
IMPORTANT update! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:12
Please, join now – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/understanding-russia
107 – 44 Merry Siskins (???) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
Let's talk about the 44 Merry Siskins by Daniil Kharms :D Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT of use…
106 – Russian Space Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:42
Russian Space program topic has been requested a lot:) So here we go! Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with…
105 – What is KGB? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:38
What is KGB? Let's talk about it and learn some Russian too :) Slow Russian Podcast Transcript and audio download for $20 – https://russian.fromzerotofluency.com/courses/slowrussian Join my free email course with A LOT o…