Krasnaya Moskva (Red Moscow) was a terribly smelling, expensive perfume produced in Russia and sold over the Soviet Block. A Hungarian blogger writes that it smelled as if a busload of Russian ladies had arrived at Budapest. During the periodical anti-alcohol campaigns, when vodka was unavailable, the sales of Red Moscow increased dramatically. But I am badmouthing a memorable product of socialist workers. The fact is that an original bottle of Krasnaya Moskva sells today for thousands of forints.
3 comments:
It's interesting that a product like perfume is all about cultural associations - it is a tabula rasa that we impose our feelings on. The smell itself connotes nothing (except flowers, etc.) Before the revolution, this same perfume was sold as "The Favorite of the Empress" or something like that (in French). Apparently they still make this stuff but given its Soviet associations it is not a big seller anymore.
K
I believe that these things are cyclical and soon the Red Moscow fragance will be once more in fashion. Communism did not disappear, look at Greece where they are the main political force. People liked the job security, the health insurance, the old age pension and the general feeling of equality and stability that Communism provided. I am sure that many feel nostalgia for the fragrance of the Red Moscow perfume.
Greece is a throwback and not representative. During any economic depression, Communism suddenly looks relatively more attractive for the reasons you give. But over the long run, it's clear that Communism does not produce nearly as much wealth and it also requires tremendous loss of freedom to maintain (the entire Soviet block was essentially a giant prison to keep people from escaping it's glories - literally the minute the prison gates opened the system was over). Even in a prison there must be some good aspects but I don't understand the nostalgia toward Communism. Stalin and his friends murdered millions.
K
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