WEALTH AND WEALTHY SOCIETY

 Find the answers to the following questions: (Be ready to answer them).
 What does the word ‘wealth’ signify?
 How many types of wealth does Professor Stoshkus single out?
 Why and when did everyone rush to seize real wealth?
 How was property distributed under a totalitarian regime?
 What does Professor Stoshkus mean by ‘soviet bourgeoisie’?
 How was the mentality of people shaped throughout the history?
 Why have the foreign experts acknowledged Lithuania to be the most wasteful
post-communist country?
 Discuss: ’…no authority is going to take responsibility for ruining the economy.’

 Use the active vocabulary /word expressions/ while speaking on a given or

selected point.
ACTIVE VOCABULARY AND PHRASES
wealth accumulated over decades
real state power was wasted and destroyed
wealth of the State, embodying hard labour of people, wasted lives and creativity
property separated from society
to dispose of wealth created
to possess the monopoly of wealth accumulation and distribution
to pool efforts towards speeding up the process of privatisation
demolition of ‘kolchoz’ live-stock farms and soviet plants
to rebuilt and do it better and faster
inevitable in transforming the state economy into a private one
to be obliged to improve the efficiency of the economy through privatisation
to free private initiative and speed up competition in the market
to disregard the overall effectiveness of the economy
to farce economy to its knees
to rush to seize real wealth
many felt their fingers itch
demonic desire to make easy money was aroused
love for homeland
a poorly disguised greed
to lay hands on
real concerns were elsewhere
to put something to immediate use
the rapid appropriation of wealth
an intoxicated and damaging effect
creating an illusion that
doing business was rather simple
it amounted to nothing else but commerce
exchange of commodities
authorities distributed state property
allowed it to be distributed
while keeping out of sight themselves
accuse each other
the objective circumstances
state property was not valued by people

Compiled by lecturer Vida Burbene 1 Vilnikus College, Faculty of Economics, 2008

 WEALTH AND WEALTHY SOCIETY

state monopoly on property diminished its value in people’s mind

an individual with a slave mentality
to become a proprietor
showy squandering of wealth
a pauper
due to one’s inability to save
to obtained property earned by others
‘ubagas’ state fits perfectly into
to extend a palm to
to complain about the lack of money for
orphans and foundlings
with mournful face
in wait for charity from abroad
with typical pauper conceit
to complain about the conditions of foreign donations
individuals coming from the soviet nomenclature
qualities suited for business
formed a stratum capable of living a double life
serving socialism verbally
enriching themselves
to be skilled in circumventing the law
to adjust to political situation
to boast of having
an abundance of individuals
to convert wealth into creative power
to sustain honest competition
a means of stirring predatory instincts

 Study some helpful statements and ideas. You may use them when you speak.
Wealth created and accumulated over decades expresses real power of the state.
Wealth is not abstract.
It embodies hard labour, creativity and wasted lives of people.
WEALTH BRINGS US POWER, FREEDOM, SLAVERY
People make wealth and wealth shapes people.
Most wealth empowers people and state but some types of wealth demoralise and
ruins them. The nature of wealth predetermines the nature of human beings.
Wealth gives you freedom:
 you can buy anything you want
 you can travel anywhere you want
 you can have you hobbies
Wealth gives you power:
 you can have influence on politics
 you can bribe officials
 you can pay the lawyers
Wealth gives you security.
 you have the best health care
 you can have a body-guard
 you are sure about your future
Wealth brings you slavery.

Compiled by lecturer Vida Burbene 2 Vilnius College, Faculty of Economics, 2008

 WEALTH AND WEALTHY SOCIETY

 you want to have more and more money

 you start taking and giving bribes
 you are not sure about your future
 you can lose your wealth
There is growing wealth which enhances state power and independence of its citizens.
There also exists irreplaceable wealth - resources that have to be saved as untouchable
reserves for a rainy day and future generations. There is enough wealth in Lithuania, but
very little of it is rationally managed and even less is sustained. Our State allows the
felling of forests, excavation of peat, extraction of its limited oil resources. It doesn’t care
that the bulk of these resources will be exhausted and never replaced.
Discuss: At present we are witnessing its destructive rather than its creative power.
Do you agree with this statement or not? Why? give your arguments.
When privatisation started everyone rushed to seize (pagriebti, nutverti) real wealth.
The demonic desire to make easy money and become rich was big.
In the Soviet time people created wealth but state had the monopoly of wealth distribution.
State monopoly on property diminished (sunaikino) its value in people’s mind.
Ubagas mentality was created.
Ubagas has no idea what the wealth is. He knows how to waste it.
He doesn’t know how to save it. But he wants to possess it.
The people with ubagas mentality switched to politics.
By bribing officials the state brings to power individuals who come for wealth, but not to
serve their country.
Politics and authorities forced the economy of Lithuania to its knees. No one is going to
take responsibility for ruining the economy.
 speeding the privatisation
 bad remuneration policy
 bribing policy
 lack of justice
 braking the law
 not honest business
In a short period of time we have become a typical consumer society.
We have wasted and destroyed our wealth accumulated over decades
The soviet bourgeoisie was capable to live double life. they were skilled in circumventing
the law, adjusting to political situations, running farms and plants. These men knew what
to do with property. Once wealth gets into the wrong hands, it loses its value or become a
terrible destructive power demoralising society. Who came for wealth, wealth does he
make. Who is attracted by honour, cannot easily be tempted with money.

 Write a resume covering the following points:

 people make wealth and wealth shapes people;
 wealth gives freedom, security, power; it brings slavery;
 wealth accumulated over decades was wasted and destroyed within several years of
independence;
 state monopoly on property diminished its value in people’s mind;
 truly demonic desire to make easy money was aroused;
 soviet period had and still has a damaging effect on the country and its people;

Compiled by lecturer Vida Burbene 3 Vilnikus College, Faculty of Economics, 2008