Going Underground

@GUnderground_TV

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Jun 30

The effects of communism in Russia and China: In 1917, Russia was mostly illiterate and agrarian. By 1959, literacy exceeded 98%, and the USSR had one of the world’s most educated populations Life expectancy rose from roughly 32 years (1917) to the high-60s by the late 1950s, despite the devastation of World War 2. Industrial output (1913-1940): Electricity 2 → 48 billion kWh (24×) Steel 4.2 → 18.3 Mt (4×) Coal 28.9 → 164.6 Mt (6×) By 1960 the USSR generated 290 billion kWh of electricity, second only to the United States, after going through the devastation of WW2. Doctors per 10,000 people increased from 14.6 in 1950 to 23.9 by 1965. Hospital beds increased from 57.7 to 96 per 10,000 people The urban population rose from 15% in 1917 to a majority by the early 1960s. GNP growth averaged 5–6 % per year in the 1950s, among the highest globally. China developed rapidly throughout the Mao era, laying the foundations for the greatest transformation and improvement in living standards in world history, learning from the mistakes of the USSR: Life expectancy in 1949 was 36, by 1972 it was 61. Currently, it is 78.5. National income grew five-fold over the 25-year period 1952-1978, increasing from 60 billion to over 300 billion yuan, with industry accounting for most of the growth 80% of Chinese were illiterate in 1949, by 2015, 94.4% were literate Over 800 million people were lifted out of poverty in the space of just 4 decades In 1981, almost 90% of the population lived below the international poverty line. By 2015, only 1% lived below the poverty line Since 1978 on average, China pulled 19 million poor people out of extreme poverty every year China has accounted for nearly 75% of the global reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty since 1978 China has become the largest trading partner of more than 120 countries The Belt & Road Initiative has been launched, dubbed ‘the project of the century’, with over 150 countries joining The average disposable income per urban household surged 66% from 2013 to 2020, according to official statistics. In rural households it rose 82% in that same period. Extreme poverty has been eliminated in China Lifted 98.99 million rural citizens out of poverty since 2013 Has built a larger high speed rail network than the rest of the world put together, expanding it from 10,000KM to over 50,000KM Installed renewable energy capacity in China is roughly 4× larger than that of the United States today China has become the world’s largest industrial economy, with manufacturing output now exceeding the US & EU combined Presided over the largest housing and urbanisation programme in history, moving hundreds of millions into modern cities with infrastructure, utilities, and services. In 2013 730 million lived in cities, in 2025, 954 million lived in cities. An increase of 224 million. By 2030, China is projected to account for over 40% of the world’s middle class Average disposable income has increased more than 25x since 1980 (real terms) China’s middle class already drives the majority of domestic consumption, shifting growth away from exports China now contributes more to global consumption growth than the US and Europe combined Steel production: China produces approximately 55% of global steel Shipbuilding: China accounts for over 50% of global shipbuilding output China produces more cement than the rest of the world combined The renewable energy dominance: China controls 80%+ of the global solar manufacturing market across the entire supply chain It produces approximately 98% of solar wafers, 92% of solar cells, and 85% of solar panels globally In 2025 alone, China exported 200+ GW of solar cells, with exports surging over 73% year-on-year -Solar cells & wafers now make up 40%+ of China’s solar exports -China drove over 50% of global solar expansion in 2025