Russia’s economic collapse

Well here we are again. I have nothing to do this morning so I thought I would bless you all with my wonderful presents and survival wit. It’s a nice morning at the homestead kitty; the sun is shinning down bathing the area around my trailer with worth and an unnatural sense of well being. On a day like this it can be difficult to contemplate teotwawki, and staying focused enough to turn out readable copy on the subject can be damned near impossible.

I have gotten several emails inquiring as to why I no longer post everyday, posting only the occasional article as I have the time or inclination to do so. Well for one this is a free site you pay me nothing for doing this, so if you get nothing in return don’t bitch and moan, after all you are still getting what you are paying for. Don’t get me wrong I would love to do this full time, posting everyday or even several times per day, but the truth is I have a life and other thing to do besides setting in front of this box all-day hoping that some of you just might out of the kindness of your heart send me a donation or buy something, or take the time to click on a few ads to see what is being offered.

Getting on with today’s post; Russia’s economic collapse and how it can be used by survivalist here in the U.S. as a guide, to things to come helping to guide our survival preps and planning. After all if we know what to expect, we will be able to prepare for it in a more proper manner. History repeats itself; every nation or kingdom on earth no matter how powerful and splendid will / has reached a peak in power and then will slowly start down the road to collapse. The U.S. of A arrived at that point sometime ago, we are now watching the break down as it happens, things stared to happen slowly at first but the closer we come to total destruction, the faster things will begin to move along, seemingly coming to pass over night, but the truth is this whole mess has been along time in the making, we have reach the point of no return and the only thing we can do is prepare for the outcome the best we can.

Following the official collapse of the Russian economy in 1998, the number of people living in poverty rose to nearly 50%. People living in urban areas, with no access to jobs or land were the hardest hit. Unlike those living in rural areas, who could subsist on homegrown food, people caught in the city had nowhere to turn.

Waiting in long lines hoping for a handout became common in the cities, with a large amount of people living on the streets, hopeless and subsisting on handouts or what they could find or steal. Staples such as flour, butter, rice and sugar were gone as soon as they were put up for sale, if retailers find the products at all. This became more difficult by the day. With prices rising uncontrollably, retail stores were forced to close repeatedly thought out the day, just to figure out how much to charge.

Millions of people who had deposited their money in Russian banks lost everything. Savings accounts throughout the country were frozen. ATM and debit cards ceased to work, as dozens of banks closed up shop and disappeared. Within days, individual deposits in Russian banks fell in value from an estimated $27 billion to less than $12 billion.

Millions of senior citizens, whose meager pensions had been delayed for months, were cut off completely with nothing being sent. People who kept their money at home rather than in the banks found their purchasing power greatly diminished as the value of their currency fell and prices of goods went on a roller coaster ride straight up.

Over 11.3 million were unemployed by the end of 1998. Those who had jobs frequently found their wages suspended, or cut by as much as two-thirds. The standard of living for the average Russian already low by American standards fell by 30% in a short amount of time.

Those who were sick and under a doctor’s care were badly hurt by the crash. Russia’s health care system, suffered a run on medicine that quickly reduced medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies to nearly nothing. Millions where left without medications or medical services.

Taking a little time to study the history of collapsed civilizations and governments can help us better prepare for our own pending collapse.