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TRIBUNE FEATURE SUPPLEMENT

Democratization of society

By GENNADY PISAREVSKY
APN Political Observer

The Communist Party’s course for
reform is a full restoration of the Len-
inist concept of socialism. The main
thing, I feel, is to abolish dogmatism,
to do away with false shrines and idols,
and to dismantle the Stalinist model of
socialism in which the individual was
merely a cog in the State machine -- to
be lubricated, so to speak, by. a bit of
social grease. Stalin even drank a toast
to the ‘‘Cog-man’’.

The historical sin of Stalin’s succes-
sors was that they adhered to this
highly primitive view of the individ-
ual. My conclusion is that the Stalinist
model of socialism should have been
dismantled not with emotion but with
cost accounting, the market, democ-
racy, and a dynamic growth in the
people’s well-being.

All our failures derive from dogma-
tism. The dogmatists have caricatur-
ized Marxism and -- saluting its es-
sence, dialectics,-- have succeeded in
putting the principle higher than the
fact, and the scheme higher than real
life.

- The report is calm, objective and
profound. For the first time in 50-odd
years Nikolai Bukharin, the revolu-
tionary, Marxist theorist and political
figure, is spoken well of, but with ob-
jective criticism. The Stalin crimes are
sternly condemned. But this major
figure in Soviet and world history is
given credit for routing Trotskyism
and organizing the victory over fas-
cism.

The time will come, and soon, when

$4 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JUNE 3, 1987

historians will study the common ele-
ments in two personal enemies -- Stalin
and Trotsky. This is a paradox so well
-- loved by dialectics. While denying
the theory of “‘permanent world revo-
lution’’ Stalin, in his domestic policies,
chiefly employed Trotskyite methods
of terror, hatred for the peasantry,
brazen administrative regimentation
and the vivisection of democracy.

The historical method of
Gorbachev’s report lies in its objective,
unbiased assessment both of our un-
questionable achievements and our
mistakes and miscalculations. The
point is made that cruelty is alien to
socialism, that it has no justification,
nor can it ever have any.

Our history has seen it all -- the
banner raised over the Reichstag by
Zhukov’s soldiers, the tragedy of the
peasants, Gagarin’s flight into space,
the utopianism of Khrushchev, the at-
tainment of military parity with the
U.S., the Brezhnev preoccupation with
awards.

There is one conclusion to be drawn

This
Special Supplement to
the Canadian Tribune
was produced and
inserted by the the USSR
Embassy Press Office,
Ottawa, Ontario.

is the soul of restructuring

-- neither the individual nor society can
live without democracy, openness, and
a sense of conscience.

The democratization of society is
the soul of the restructuring campaign.
The success of reform and the whole
future of socialism for that matter hinge
on how the effort for a broader democ-

Mikhal]
GORBACHEV

On the Tasks
of the Party
in the Radical
Restructuring
| of Economic
Management

Available at no charge!

St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6L2.

Foremost Know Itself

Name

New from the USSR

Check the title you want. Fill in your name and address, and send this
whole coupon to the Soviet Embassy Press Office, Suite 1108,400 Stewart

0 Mikhail Gorbachev -- The Speech in Murmansk

O) Mikhail Gorbachev -- On the Tasks of the Party in the
Radical Restructuring of Economic Management

© Nikolai Vasetsky -- Misinterpretations of the Historical
Experience of the October Socialist Revolution

(© Mikhail Nenashev -- Books Promote an Understanding of
the Restructuring Process

O Alexander Yakovlev -- Modern Socialism Must First and

racy progresses. This is the most solid
guarantee of transformation in politics
and the economy, and of preventing
backtracking. The changes taking
place in our country today are definitely
the biggest step toward developing
socialist democracy since the October
Revolution.

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