Karima
asked
David Andrew Nichols:
what was the major factor that causes the soviet union to collapse?
David Andrew Nichols
Food. The collectivization of agriculture caused the USSR's population to outstrip its food supply by the early 1960s. Oil exports and borrowing allowed the Soviet government to import grain, for a time, but oil prices plummeted in the 1980s and credit dried up in the early '90s. Without food and credit the USSR couldn't use its army to suppress independence movements in the republics, nor a liberalization movement in Russia itself.
More Answered Questions
Alain DeWitt
asked
David Andrew Nichols:
Hi, Have you read Eliot Pattison's Duncan McCallum series? It's a series of mysteries with dramatic political consequences set during the French-Indian Wars (later during the run up to the Revolutionary War). Similar to Pattison's Inspector Shan series (in Tibet) the book demonstrate a deep understanding of indigenous peoples' cultures. Seems like they would be right up your alley. Highly recommended. Alain
Claudia Putnam
asked
David Andrew Nichols:
Hi David, wondering if you had any thoughts on the ubiquity of the word squaw in white encounters with Native Americans. I have read about the origins of the term, but when you get out West it seems odd that we keep encountering that term, and that "half-breed" translators and such who ought to know better seem to keep rendering "squaw" in communications with white men when damn out of space..?
Matthew Heines
asked
David Andrew Nichols:
Hey David! I saw that you liked my review of My Year in Oman. It has always been my intent as a teacher to educate people about what the Middle East is really like as far as working, living and culture. If you are interested in these topics, I have also written Another Year in Oman and Killing Time Saudi Arabia. If you would like to pass them on to your Middle East faculty-even better. What did you like about it?
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