The Second Russian Revolution Gathers

Abstract

Stavropol closed the episode of perestroika in the former Soviet bloc. In the eyes of those who had been accusing Gorbachev of losing east Europe nothing had been gained from the entire chapter other than a non-aggression pact with a new German colossus fortified by support from NATO. For those who could remember what the USSR had enjoyed in 1985 this was bitter medicine. Yet they had worse to contemplate in the future, with the threatened disintegration of the multinational Soviet Union and a catastrophic economic collapse which promised civil war and worse. They resolved to ‘reverse the course of events’, as Suslov had once put it in 1980 in regard to actions to fight Poland’s Solidarity movement. Just the same, despite the firmness with which Gorbachev had addressed them at the end of the 28th Congress, ‘turning back with Gorbachev’ still seemed to them the most hopeful possibility. Their eyes confronted the Gorbachev who vowed to make theirs a parliamentary party, yet these same eyes preferred to see the Gorbachev who described himself as a ‘convinced Communist’ committed to consolidation on the basis of the socialist choice.

One could congratulate Adolph Hitler posthumously on his glorious triumph over this country.

Aleksandr Nevzorov

The point is that [Gorbachev] made our country poor and contributed to our dissolution. At the same time he made your country stronger because he eliminated the danger.

Melor Sturua

Even when he speaks for the right wing, the country progresses to the left.

Andrei Sakharov

If Finland, if Poland, if the Ukraine break away from Russia, there is nothing bad about that. Anyone who says there is, is a chauvinist. It would be madness to continue the policy of Tsar Nicholas…. No nation can be free if it oppresses other nations.

Lenin