[not_that_noob]

The parallel to the fall of the Soviet Union is interesting. The state slowly ran out of money, and couldn’t pay the military complex, including the army. The army’s loyalty to the leadership essentially disappeared, and then the empire fell.

Also note that the militaries of Burma or Venezuela are always well provided for, even when the people are repressed or starving. I feel successful dictators have an instinctual grasp of this relationship.

[sonnyblarney]

The most 'militarily industrialized' economies are Cuba, North Korea I'd imagine ... where the Army essentially and literally is the bureaucracy.

[vkou]

Finland and South Korea both have more, per capita, military then Cuba. Closely followed by Mongolia, Singapore, Armenia, Taiwan, and Israel.

I think this has more to do with being within spitting distance of much larger, potentially belligerent neighbours.

[sonnyblarney]

I don't see how your measure is useful at all in this reference.

%GDP spending in those countries are small.

In Cuba the military literally runs the economy. Many of the hotels you stay in are operated by the Army. Any of the remaining bits of 'free' economy are all dependent on the military state.

This is not even remotely the case in any of the nations you listed.

[bilbo0s]

"... In Cuba the military literally runs the economy. Many of the hotels you stay in are operated by the Army..."

???

This is just not true. The hotels are run by the party, usually in partnership with some European nation depending on which one you stay at. And believe you me, the Party ain't talking about "sharing" with ANYBODY. Army or No Army.

Now of course this is in the process of changing. Naturally the constitutional reforms will give private citizens some ownership in business, but the Party will still essentially "own" 51% of everything. (And to be perfectly frank, my own bet is that the party isn't going to allow private ownership in the big hotels by anyone else anyway. They don't care if you're the Army, the people, or even the doctors.)

Generals, are just as broke as everyone else in Cuba.

Now...

if you want to talk about where the money is...

let's talk about the jinateras. (Sorry if that offends anyone, I'm just being real about what it's like in Cuba.)

[sonnyblarney]

See my note above. The hotels are owned by GAESA which is a wing of the military.

[bilbo0s]

Cuba? 'militarily industrialized'?

???

Have you been to Cuba? Serious question.

There's not a whole lot of military in Cuba at all.

[sonnyblarney]

"Cuba, renting a car, sleeping in a hotel, diving or buying in a store has one thing in common: the companies that provide these services belong to the Grupo Empresarial Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) led by the Revolutionary Armed Forces, reported dpa news.

GAESA is the largest Cuban holding company and includes a conglomerate of more than 50 companies, all directed under the laws of the market and chaired by brigadier General Luis Alberto Rodríguez " [1]

"American tourists strolling the ample squares and narrow streets of colonial Havana may not know it, (...) , they are probably patronizing businesses owned by Cuba’s military."

"Today GAESA boasts dozens of companies that control anywhere from 40 percent to 60 percent of the Caribbean island’s foreign exchange earnings, " [2]

The list goes on.

[1] https://www.havanatimes.org/?p=125750

[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-military/cuban-m...

[bilbo0s]

"...I'm assuming you must be a pro-Castro cuban or something..."

???

Guy? What? I'm just a farm boy from small town Wisconsin. But I have been to Cuba. A lot. And not only recently now that everything is different, I was there during the special period even. I'm only relating what I saw.

Crippling poverty. Everywhere.

"Militarily Industrialized". Give me a break. What "industry"? Don't get me wrong. No one starves in Cuba. (Even during the Special Period.) But people were hungry, and I don't think anyone would go to Cuba and conclude that they have loads of industry under the control of their army. (In fact, you'd have been hard pressed to show "loads of industry" at all.)

Again, yeah, yeah, all of this is changing. Constitution reforms, North Cuba Basin, Yada yada yada. But that place has been poverty personified for a very long time. And there was no "industry" to be found.

And what is it with you and this phantom army of yours? The Cuban Army is a joke. The only thing the Cuban military has is smart guys. That's it. They're not gonna be out repelling any invasions anytime soon. The cops on their streets are what you should really be worried about. (Don't commit a crime, because the Castros run things down there. That's free advice.)

Finally, you're the one on here talking like some propaganda minister for who knows who. Not me.

Oh yeah... also... living on 12 dollars a month SUCKS. So if I sound a little angry, it's because seeing so many good people living that experience still gets under my skin.

[101km]

I've spent ~1 month tramping all over Cuba. This is absolutely spot on.

[golergka]

The only use of force during the fall of USSR was by reactionary, pro-soviet KGCHP.

[remarkEon]

My sense is that Communist and quasi-Communist countries need the military to function and maintain themselves.