Obama and Gorbachev (and Iran and China)

[phil of the future]

It seems like an odd pairing but consider how to some extent Gorbachev
could be said to have unleashed an enthusiasm for reform in his 'Glasnost'
philosophy. It was said at the time that everywhere he went protest for
freedom followed. [Tiananmen Square was contemporaneous with Gorbachev's
visit to China] Sadly that excitement was brutally repressed in China.

Now we have an enormously oratorically gifted US president promising
'change we can believe in' giving speeches that seem to strike a strong
chord on Arab street.... and Iran holds a pro-forma election whose
questionable results has resulted at a minimum popular [protest if not the
beginning of an uprising.

Curious times.

Note: And before anyone gets all excited and jumps to the conclusion I'm
saying history is repeating itself with Obama as Gorbachev - I'm not.

I am comparing them and exploring similarities and differences.

[Scotius]

On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:28:44 -0400, "phil of the future"
<Ph...@the.future> wrote:

>
> It seems like an odd pairing but consider how to some extent Gorbachev
>could be said to have unleashed an enthusiasm for reform in his 'Glasnost'
>philosophy. It was said at the time that everywhere he went protest for
>freedom followed. [Tiananmen Square was contemporaneous with Gorbachev's
>visit to China] Sadly that excitement was brutally repressed in China.

It might have happened around the same time, but those
students really thought that the oligarchy that ran the communist
party should be done away with, and of course they thought that as
young educated men, they should be the (near) future leadership of
China.
You can bet that they didn't find much sympathy outside of the
student body too. Can you imagine someone living out on a farm, and
seeing one of these kids who was priveledged to grow up in a "special
economic zone", and attent university, watching on television as they
protest the government because they think they should be it?
Anyway, Gorbachev was not a "reformer". He is on record
stating he believes in monolithic communism. He wrecked the USSR. he's
good at wrecking stuff.