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| International |
| Gorbachev admits it was all propaganda |
| 2002-03-12 |
Speaking in Russian, Gorbachev offered his views a decade after he helped topple this "unreal system" with reforms dubbed perestroika. Before that, he said, Soviet politicians operated with lies. "We, including I, were saying, 'Capitalism is moving toward a catastrophe, whereas we are developing well.' Of course, that was pure propaganda. In fact, our country was lagging behind," Gorbachev said. Change didn't come easily, either. Gorbachev said perestroika spun out of control after Boris Yeltsin took over in 1991. Instead of a gradual shift to democracy, Yeltsin promised Russians that they "would start moving toward paradise quickly, directly," Gorbachev said. "Well, we did move directly -- but into an abyss," with the economy collapsing and many former Soviet republics declaring independence, he said. "It is chaos that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin inherited. Chaos in the economy, chaos in the social sphere, chaos in the federation, chaos in the army, chaos everywhere." Now, Gorbachev said, Putin must create new economic incentives. "Today is our last hope. If it fails, we could see a very difficult situation in Russia," Gorbachev said. The former Soviet leader said his Moscow-based Gorbachev Foundation is making a contribution by developing ties between Russian and foreign high-tech companies. He said such business would help slow his country's "brain drain." Take that, Indymedia. Take that, Berkeley City Council. Take that, all you Kommie Kiddies. What he doesn't dwell on his how much the ruling elite in the Soviet Union bought its own propaganda, despite the evidence before its eyes. Most of them did swallow it. Especially in the middle and lower echelons of the bureaucracy the country was swarming with true believers. Even the August Plotters were motivated overall by their belief in the system. Gorbachev's claim to greatness - and he was a great man - is that he recognized the need for change before the system fell down around his ears and he had the guts to try and do something about it. Glasnost' led to Perestroika, but the perestroika that was actually called for was more than even he believed. The Soviet Union was headed for something similar to what prevailed during the Yeltsin years even under Gorbachev's administration - all he would have been able to do was try to blunt some of the worst effects. The August Coup finished any possibility of that, and the secession of the Baltic States finished off the Soyuz itself. I even think Yeltsin's intentions were good at the first, before the booze and his family and "friends" did him in. His moment of greatness came when he defended the Parliament, an act of physical bravery that Russians will remember. The words he said were the words of a man who wanted to see real democracy and real change in Russia. Gorbachev's greatness was moral; it took a deep kind of courage to change a system that was designed to be unchangable. 50 years from now Yeltsin will be a footnote and the world - and Russia - will remember Gorbachev for what he was. Screed Warning! Gorbachev always gets me over torqued.... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |