Gorbachev passes away aged 91

8mv

We in the west rightly see him as a reformer and history maker. It's true that in Russia (or Moscow at least) there were many who disliked him because he made the SU look weak, others disliked him because they saw the pace of reform as being too slow and most others were ambivalent. Personally I owe him a debt of gratitude as Perestroika and Glasnost reforms allowed me to live and work in Moscow where I met my wife (also Irish) and we had three kids, all now great young women. It's such a shame that the potential he initiated (albeit, perhaps, unintentionally) has been destroyed in a few short months. Thirty years ago I worked with some fantastic young men and women in Russia. In more recent years we have hosted some young Russian people (amongst other nationalities) who studied English here in Ireland. It breaks my heart to think that those kids or the children of the people in worked with in the nineties might be dying or committing atrocities now in Ukraine. I imagine it would be quite a different world if the August '91 coup attempt had not happened and Mikhail Sergeyevich had been given the opportunity to introduce reform at a more controlled pace.

donaghs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546458#Comment_119546458

So, what should Gorbachev have done In power? “Business as usual” like Brezhnev?

What we’re his mistakes?

Russian in the 90s was a traumatic experience for so many, but this occurred after he had to resign when all the republics dissolved the USSR. His actions certainly helped lead to this , but everything wasn’t inevitable?

One way he could have acted differently was using more force and repression to keep the USSR together , and preventing reforms and freedoms which didn’t match his own vision of “glasnost”. But clearly that would be “problematic” too!

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548047#Comment_119548047

Emerging nationalism particularly but not just in the Baltics would have done for the Soviet Union sooner or later. Things could have turned out a lot worse, but events were pretty much out of Gorby's control well before the USSR finally dissolved.

Let's not forget that dozens, if not hundreds, of unarmed civilians were killed under Gorby's watch when peaceful protests in the Baltics were put down.

It is said that the most dangerous time for any despotic regime is when they start to offer a little bit of freedom - because once people get a taste for it and become brave enough to stand up to the regime they won't be satisfied and want more and more. And why shouldn't they.

Gatling

putin decided he was too busy to attend Gorbys funeral,then blocks him from having a state funeral.

Once a cnut always a cnut

8mv

I read that Gorbachev will be laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery, the second Soviet leader to be buried there, Khruschev being the first. All the others are buried behind Lenin's tomb on Red Square.

Hotblack Desiato

Vlad is still scared to hell of covid...

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561663#Comment_119561663

Hmm two men who put saving the world from nuclear destruction ahead of national pride get buried in semi-disgrace, tells you all you need to know about that country really.

8mv

On reflection, I think he may have requested that anyway as his wife is buried there. I'm sure he would prefer that instead of going in beside Andropov and Chernenko. Novodevichy is a very nice cemetary and interesting place to see if any of us ever visit Moscow again - unlikely at the moment it seems.

Gatling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119562061#Comment_119562061

I think it's more about he can't stage manage the show ,and or he's afraid of slipping and falling out of a window