Another lecture in the series of the Evening Party University
lectures took place on May 26 in YABLOKO’s office, Moscow.
The lecture “An unlearned lesson of the totalitarian past”
was delivered by Galina Mikhalyova, Executive Secretary of
YABLOKO’s Political Committee and head of the Evening Party
University.
Mikhalyova presented the decision by YABLOKO’s Political
Committee on overcoming Bolsheviks’ and Stalin’s legacy as
a condition for Russia’s modernization in the 21st century.
She also presented a second edition of the book Overcoming
Stalin’s Legacy which runs that Russia’s development is impossible
without state assessment of totalitarian past.
Mikhlyova also noted that the crimes of the Soviet period
affected virtually every family: “Stalin’s methods of governing
led to deaths of millions of Soviet citizens, and dozens of
millions people were affected by political reprisals and deportations”.
She also told that no assessment of Stalinism was given during
perestroika period, and even restalinisation began in the
Yeltsin’s era. This process escalated in 2000s. “Fraudulent
high percentage of votes in favour of Stalin at the Name Russia
contest, positioning of Stalin as ‘an efficient manager’ in
history text-books and a coach with Stalin’s portrait commuting
between Moscow and St.Petersburg represent a terrible legacy
of Bolshevism and Stalinism. However, there is only one museum
of political reprisals in our country – Perm-36,” she noted.
Mikhalyova also stated that Russia needs a state policy for
overcoming totalitarian past. This process requires long and
complicated mind work. “This is the issue of our national
identification and conscience. Each citizens has to ask him
or herself “Do I wish to be like Stalin?” Civil activity and
general accord on basic democratic values is required here.
This is the only way to move forward,” Mikhalyova said.
The listeners agreed with Mikhalyova, they also said that
those who were guilty of crimes against the nation had to
bear legal responsibility for that. They also told about Putin’s
public statements on Stalin’s leading role in the Second World
War and called to recognizing historic errors and overcoming
totalitarian past.
The most active students of the Evening Party University
will be handed certificates of the University at the next
meeting.
See also:
Evening
Party University
Overcoming Stalin's
Legacy
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