Word: gorbachevized
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Sadly, a totalitarian trait has survived in Gorbachev: the delusion of his own indispensability. He could have been the hero of Baltic independence and of reform in its triumph over reaction. But that might have meant yielding to other, democratically elected leaders. So now he is the villain. That is the tragedy of Gorbachev...
...shocking as it is to the average Soviet, the crime rate still falls well below levels in Western Europe and the U.S. But Gorbachev, prodded by his right-wing critics, has decided to crack down to satisfy demands for stability. Order in the Soviet Union used to be guaranteed by the security apparatus; fear prevented the majority from stepping out of line. Now, says Interior Ministry Colonel Alexander Gurov, "respect for law has not replaced fear, so we have a vacuum of legitimate authority...
Still, organized criminals are emerging as a public menace. They occasionally settle disputes Chicago-style. Last October masked gunmen opened fire in a Moscow cooperative restaurant, then attacked diners with clubs and knives, leaving two people dead. Police claim that cooperatives, the semiprivate businesses that are among Gorbachev's few tangible economic successes, have become havens for criminal gangs, who exchange protection and access to the black market for a share in profits...
Right-wing critics blame Gorbachev for the breakdown in authority and insist that the government restore order. But in a society ruled by totalitarian dictate for centuries, instilling respect for law and faith in the government's fair enforcement of it will take time. Gorbachev has spent five years promoting his vision of a Soviet Union governed by law. Using the army and KGB to crack down on crime may solve the immediate problem, but it will not bring the future he promises any closer...
...spent an hour and a half with Gorbachev a few weeks ago. How did he seem...