Why Gorbachev’s legacy still threatens Putin

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 11:21:27 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-gorbachevs-legacy-still-threatens-putin-189778>

"Little remains of the legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader and
one of the greatest reformers in Russian history.

In the name of “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (restructuring),
Gorbachev dismantled totalitarianism, abolished censorship, freed hundreds of
political prisoners, and held competitive elections that inaugurated a decade
of democratisation.

By jettisoning the USSR’s ideologically driven foreign policy, he also ended
the Cold War and brought humanity back from the brink of nuclear annihilation.

During his presidency, Vladimir Putin has systematically destroyed these
historic achievements. On their ruins, his regime is mobilising militants
behind a new totalitarian project.

Once again, education and culture are being policed by the state. Once again,
hundreds of prisoners of conscience are languishing in prisons and labour
camps. And once again, Russia is locked in a potentially apocalyptic
confrontation with the West."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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