Job Discussion Forums

[coledavis]

Yes, Poland was the least antisemitic country in Europe, back in the middle ages. Modern Poland is unfortunately a different case entirely. One remarkable thing was that when the Nazis were beaten, one set of people who didn't want to go home were Polish jews. This was justifiable, as massacres of jews did indeed take place in different parts of Poland, essentially by locals who wanted to keep hold of property which had been appropriated in the absence of the jewish owners.

Russian history is interesting. I speak from my memory of having read Hosking's 'Russia and the Russians'. The Russian state was so antisemitic that for a long time no jews were allowed in. It was Russian greed, in the form of the Polish partitions in the late 18th century, that led to the absorption of many Polish jews. The jews were later forced to move into the interior. As in other countries, the jews were treated in a very discriminatory manner. This had a peculiar effect. Because they couldn't take part in many civic roles which would be taken for granted by other Russian civilians, jews' survival entailed engaging in corrupt practices. Such practices became endemic with the effects that can be noted in tsarist, communist and post-Soviet days. So if you wonder why you find yourself having to be vaguely dishonest and that it is usually expected, this is indeed the state's expectation and something it forced upon its citizens.

[rusmeister]

'Corrupt practices' are by no means a special provence of the Jew. Probably a majority of Russians (in urban environments, at least) make their money in ways not fully over the table.

[coledavis]

Quite so and if I gave the impression of a specific racial tendency, this was not intentional. Essentially, the Russian discrimination was particularly harsh, making evasion a complete necessity. That led to a culture which engulfed the country, as officials came to expect bribes and the people as a whole got into the habit, etc etc. To put it in a nutshell, the tsarist state caused this by coercion, not the citizens by their own volition.

[Eugeniusz]

I think the most sensible advise that was given here is to not go alone. I concur with that.

[coledavis]

I travelled alone at Christmas 2006/07. Having said that, I have been to Russia a few times in company and had people I knew when I eventually reached my destination out in the boondocks. Although I was careful in Moscow, in transit, I found it a lot less dodgy than I had expected. I guess anything can happen, though, as in any major city.

[spiral78]

I was on my own in Moscow for three months. Apart from a pickpocketing incident, which can definitely happen anywhere, no problems. I'd do it again.

[craw]

[coledavis]

Nationalism often lets itself be taken over by extremism (consider the background of Hitler's rise). Also, note that nationalism is not the same as patriotism. See if possible Orwell's 'Notes on Nationalism'. If you can't, I guess the short-hand is: nationalism is the pride in one's nation being above or more important than other nations; patriotism is taking a pride in the things your nation does well.

[Travel Zen]