J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate and vice president, has made no secret of his admiration for Vladimir Putin. From wearing Soviet-themed T-shirts to praising the Russian model of governance, he embodies a growing faction of the American right that romanticizes authoritarian rule. They view the USSR’s legacy not as a cautionary tale but as a blueprint for an America where the government exerts absolute control, cracks down on opposition, and enforces rigid social order.
But what if the U.S. actually tried to become the Soviet Union? If America fully embraced the USSR experiment, seduced by the attractive packaging—social equality, free healthcare, military might—what would follow? Would it be a utopia of order and prosperity, or a catastrophic freefall into totalitarian rule, economic collapse, and mass oppression?
The answer lies in history, and history suggests a hard landing
The Attractive Wrapping: Why the USSR Model Might Seem Appealing
At first glance, the USSR had things that America lacks today:
- Social Equality – In theory, everyone was equal. There were no billionaires hoarding wealth while others lived paycheck to paycheck.
- Free Healthcare and Education – Unlike in the U.S., where a hospital visit can bankrupt you and student debt chains young people for decades, the Soviet system provided these services for free.
- Military Strength and National Pride – The USSR projected power, stood as a counterbalance to the West, and dominated in fields like space exploration and sports.
For disillusioned Americans, frustrated with economic instability, crumbling infrastructure, and social divisions, this appears tempting. It’s easy to imagine a version of the U.S. where the government guarantees jobs, wipes out student loans, and restores national pride through military and economic might.
But this vision is a mirage.
The core of the Soviet model wasn’t social equality—it was total control. And the same Americans who dream of a strongman-led, order-imposing America would soon find themselves crushed under the weight of their own experiment.
The Hard Landing: America’s Soviet Nightmare
1. From Deporting Migrants to Deporting Everyone
Trump and Vance support mass deportations, targeting migrants as the first step in "restoring order." But as history shows, once the deportation machine starts, it never stops with just one group.
In the USSR, forced deportations and purges escalated quickly. Ethnic minorities, intellectuals, former political allies—anyone perceived as a threat was sent to Siberia. Stalin's purges didn't just target known enemies; they invented new ones when necessary.
America, under this model, would follow the same pattern. Today, it’s undocumented immigrants. Tomorrow, it’s political dissidents, journalists, and "undesirable" communities. As soon as the machinery of state persecution is in motion, it does not stop.
2. The Death of Free Markets: Economic Collapse and Deficits
The Soviet Union's economy wasn't built to last. Price controls, state-run industries, and central planning created chronic shortages of basic goods. Sound familiar?
- In the 1980s USSR, people lined up for bread, meat, and household essentials.
- In 2023, 2025 America, people lined up for eggs as prices skyrocketed due to economic mismanagement and supply chain failures.
Now imagine this applied to everything. In a Soviet-style America, the government would take over major industries, setting artificial price caps that lead to black markets, empty shelves, and a total breakdown of supply chains. The result? Massive inflation, collapsed production, and economic stagnation—a nation where you have money but nothing to buy.
3. The World's Largest Prison Camp: The New American Gulag
The U.S. already incarcerates more people per capita than any other country—more than even Stalin’s USSR at its peak.
A Soviet-style America wouldn’t need to build many new prisons; it would just expand their purpose.
- Jail time for economic crimes (hoarding goods, criticizing price controls, operating private businesses).
- Prison camps for political dissenters (journalists, academics, social activists, or even former Trump supporters who dare to question their leader).
- Forced labor for the "disloyal"—prisoners sent to work on infrastructure projects or state farms.
History proves that when authoritarian states create an all-powerful government, even its biggest supporters end up in the gulag.
4. The End of Real Law: Courts as a Rubber Stamp
In the USSR, courts did not protect citizens—they were an extension of state power. Show trials, forced confessions, and predetermined verdicts were the norm.
The U.S. is already seeing this shift. Trump has demanded loyalty oaths from judges, encouraged politically motivated prosecutions, and wants full immunity from the law. In a fully Sovietized America, trials wouldn’t matter—if the state wanted you gone, you were gone.
5. The Return of the Hunger Games: Food and Resource Shortages
The USSR experienced multiple man-made famines, most notably the Holodomor, in which millions starved due to government mismanagement and enforced food seizures.
In an American USSR:
- Farmers lose incentive to produce due to government-controlled pricing.
- The government prioritizes military spending over food production.
- Supply chains break down, leading to rationing and food lines.
The result? A modern American famine—not because there isn’t food, but because the system that delivers it collapses under state control.
6. Permanent War: The Military-Industrial Prison
The USSR never stopped expanding. It had to justify its existence by creating endless enemies—real or imagined.
- America, under a Soviet model, would never leave a state of war.
- Internal purges would require manufactured traitors to justify crackdowns.
- The economy, unable to function properly, would shift to permanent wartime production—not to defend the nation, but to sustain the regime.
Trump, Vance, and their supporters believe they can control authoritarianism, that they can enjoy its benefits without suffering its consequences. History says otherwise.
The Bitter End: A Nation That No Longer Recognizes Itself
What would America look like after fully embracing the Soviet experiment?
- A mass surveillance state where dissent is crushed.
- A crippled economy, where empty stores and rationing become the norm.
- A permanent political purge, where former allies are executed or exiled.
- A dying culture, where truth is rewritten by the state.
- A nation in collapse, unable to sustain itself.
Those who cheer for dictatorship often believe they will be the ones in control. But history has a cruel lesson for them: the revolution always devours its own.
Trump and Vance’s America may fantasize about becoming the USSR, but those who admire authoritarianism rarely imagine the day it turns on them. By the time they realize their mistake, it will be too late.
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