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THE END OF COMMUNISM?
Mikhail Gorbachev, the youngest member of the Soviet Politburo, was chosen to be the
General Secretary of the Communist Party. He participated in four Summit meetings with
Reagan, and in 1987, initiated a program of reforms to bring democracy to their political process.
The reforms were denounced by some Eastern bloc countries and old-line communists. A decline
in the economy, the worst since World War II, developed an atmosphere of unrest. This is the
same Gorbachev, who made the following statement, which was printed by Pravda on December
11, 1984: “In the struggle for peace and social progress the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
pursues a consistent policy of rallying the forces of the international communist and workingclass
movement in every possible way. We uphold the historical justness of the great ideas of
Marxism-Leninism, and along with all the revolutionary and peace loving forces of mankind,
stand for social progress, and peace and security for all nations. This is what should determine
the resolute nature of our propaganda.”
Gorbachev said in November, 1987: “In our work and worries, we are motivated by those
Leninist ideals and noble endeavors and goals which mobilized the workers of Russian seven
decades ago to fight for the new and happy world of socialism. Perestroika (restructuring) is a
continuation of the October Revolution.” He also said: “Gentlemen, Comrades, do not be
concerned about all you hear about glasnost and perestroika and democracy in the coming years.
These are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal change within
the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the Americans and
let them fall asleep.” On another occasion he said: “We are moving toward a new world, the
world of Communism. We shall never turn off that road.”
In February, 1989, after a futile eight year guerrilla war against government rebels in
Afghanistan, the Soviets pulled their troops out of the country. The Communist super-power had
lost a lot of the prestige that years of propaganda had built up, and the embarrassing defeat
signaled the beginning of the end.
Gorbachev said: “We are not going to change Soviet power, of course, or abandon its
fundamental principles, but we acknowledge the need for changes that will strengthen
socialism.” In October, 1989, Gorbachev said: “The concept, the main idea, lies in the fact that
we want to give a new lease on life to socialism through perestroika and to reveal the potential of
the socialist system.” Also in 1989, he said: “Through perestroika we want to give Socialism a
second wind. To achieve this, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union returns to the origins and
principles of the Bolshevik Revolution, to the Leninist ideas about the construction of a new
society.” He said in December, 1989: “Today we have perestroika, the salvation of socialism,
giving it a second breath, revealing everything good which is in the system.” He also said: “I am
a Communist, a convinced Communist. For some that may be a fantasy. But for me, it is my
main goal.” In June, 1990, he said: “I am now, just as I’ve always been, a convinced Communist.
It’s useless to deny the enormous and unique contribution of Marx, Engels and Lenin to the
history of social thought and to modern civilization as a whole.”
On August 19, 1991, a report from Russia indicated that Gorbechev had become ill, and the
Vice-President had taken over the country, imposing a state of emergency. In reality, the
military, the KGB, and communist hardliners had initiated a coup to take over the government.
Or at least that is what they wanted us to think. It is the belief of Donald S. McAlvany, who
publishes the McAlvany Intelligence Advisor, that the coup was a hoax. He reported that all eight
coup leaders were Gorbachev appointees, and coup leader, Gennady Yanayev, referred to