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Yeltsin: Chaos and Criminality Many things changed after the fall of the Soviet Union. But as society was rapidly transformed, it became obvious that there had been no moral revolution in Russia. Communist society had taken it for granted that the individual was expendable; postcommunist Russia did as well, often to an even greater degree. Yeltsin was a hero to many Russians after he successfully led the resistance to the August 1991 pro-communist coup. But neither Yeltsin nor the “young reformers” whom he put in charge of Russia’s transformation showed any understanding of the need to establish the rule of law and the habits of respect for the individual. For Yeltsin and the reformers, the goal was to reach a “point of no return,” beyond which it would be impossible to restore socialism regardless of the will of the people. Property had to be put into private hands as quickly as possible, and this was done with little regard for who received the property or on what basis. Capitalism was created. But by carrying out the largest peaceful transfer of property in history without the benefit of law, the reformers created the conditions for the criminalization of the whole country. The new society that emerged had three outstanding characteristics: an economy dominated by a criminal oligarchy, an authoritarian political system, and, perhaps most important, a moral degradation that subverted all legal and ethical standards and made real civil society impossible. Their interaction set the stage for Russia’s drift into a regime of aggression and terror.
The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep
David Satter
The President had hoped that by putting the United States on a collision course with Germany, events would take over and lead to outright hostilities. But Hitler was still the master manipulator of events, and he kept turning his cheek. On the other side of the world the Japanese, who had been similarly provoked, had given every sign that they, too, would refuse to be drawn. They were here in Washington now, negotiating. As the talks dragged on, the Axis powers drew ever closer to world conquest. Roosevelt felt impotent. “He had no more tricks left,” Sherwood said afterward. “The bag from which he had pulled so many rabbits was empty.”
The Glory and the Dream
William Manchester
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