Orthodox America
1917-1987: Unsuccessful and Tragic Attempt to
Create a “New Man”
by Sergei
Khodorovich
In 1977, at age 36, the author, an
engineer and specialist in computer science, became the administrator of the
Russian Social Fund to assist political prisoners and their families. In 1983 he
was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. In 1986 he was re-arrested
while in camp and sentenced to three additional years. At that time a public
campaign launched on his behalf intensified in the West. In March 1987
Khodorovich was released from camp and in May arrived in Paris together with his
family.
The Russian-language newspaper, "Russkaya Mysl',"
published in Paris, asked Sergei Khodorovich, an Orthodox Christian, to share
with its readers his opinions as to what happened in Russia in November 1917,
and what consequences this event had, in particular, on human consciousness and
the fate of citizens of that nation where the event took place and which became
the first "laboratory' for the Communist experiment on the human species.
Seventy years ago communists easily (and, as it turned out, for a long
time) seized power in Russia. Without hesitation they undertook to build a new
society, hitherto unprecedented in the history of mankind, and announced the
construction of Communism throughout the whole world to be their final goal.
In
this society there was to be no private property, it was to be a-religious:
denying God, denying the existence of the immortal soul and recognizing only the
material aspect of life as real. The society was to be free of ethnic
affiliations, and communists were to have unlimited power over that society.
Igor
Shafarevieh proved that such societies had existed before. One cannot, however,
completely agree with his conclusions: not one of the societies which he
considered was atheistic; their creators recognized the power of God over
themselves and were guided by religious worldviews.
Unprecedented
methods were used to build this unprecedented society. It was decided to create a
new man. This man was to be free from ethnic affiliations, see no sense in
private property, be always ready to sacrifice himself for the benefit of
society, have no doubts that he originated from an ape or something like it
(certainly from a beast) and that nothing will remain of him after his death. In
other words, he was to be a one-hundred percent materialist and atheist and must
know that the meaning of life is in the person's usefulness to society and the
supreme goal is in a better, wealthy and happy life of future generations.
Recognizing this, he would necessarily be happy.
It
was obvious to initiators of the new society and creators of the new man that
several existing classes of people would delay the implementation of this task.
So, it was decided to destroy millions of these people "as a class ,"
i.e., to kill them. To "destroy as a class" is not just a reckless
cynical phrase; in fact, it is a guide to practical action. This was done in
Russia, and in this way began construction of the new society in every country
as soon as the communists seized power.
And What Did
Continuing Destruction Achieve?
Thus, the following groups of people were "destroyed as a
class": aristocracy, nobility, bourgeoisie, merchant class, kulaks, kulak
supporters and clergy. In addition, a very broad spectrum of intellectuals
(scientists, scholars, writers, artists, actors, professors, teachers,
engineers, physicians and white-collar workers) was called an interclass
stratum. They were made a bugbear, an object for mockery, incited against each
other by encouraging their mutual denunciations and accusing them of deviating
from the ideology. By continually hauling off geneticists, linguists, actors,
physicians, philatelists, engineers and so forth, exterminating them in camps
and killing them, this layer of people was turned into a submissive dishrag.
Certainly, political opponents and their fellow travelers--i.e., all members of
all parties except the Communist Party--were also destroyed. And everybody knows
what members of the Communist Party did to each other while clawing their way to
the top.
Let us take a look at what has been achieved so far in the
cause of building the communist society in Russia, creating the new man and
establishing communism throughout the world.
Lenin
taught that "the main question is the question of power." And this
main question was actualized one hundred percent. All power (legislative,
judicial and executive) is in the hands of communists. They have also been
enormously successful in eliminating private property. Here, however, there were
some hitches. First, in their revolutionary fervor, they took it into their
heads to turn the country into one huge commune. However, not even the
Bolsheviks, not even with their methods, were capable of it: they had to leave
the people some crumbs--termed "personal property"--until "better
times." However, these "better times" were getting put off
continually, and now there is no more talk of eliminating it. Rather the
reverse: the citizens are not criticized for the accumulation of personal
property as the meaning of life, And those in power, which brings them access to
material things, see no reason not to avail themselves of these blessings and
have in their possession everything their heart desires.
Public
property, however, was nothing but grief. The great communist idea assumes this
new man will treat everything communal (especially production) as the
pre-revolutionary people--the people it has been destroying for 70
years--treated their own personal property. That is exactly what did not happen,
and no one can say when and if it will ever happen. The new Soviet man treats
things communal as if they belong to no one, or at least not to him. The
continuous attempts to make people a-religious, not accepting God's commandments
and being unaware of them, led to a situation in which everyone tries to steal
(and does) from his place of work, everything he can. And he does not consider
himself a thief: both he and his friends do not consider this
"stealing" but just "scrounging" something he needs. In the
process of being made a new Soviet man, it was expected that he will work harder
and harder, without regard to his material circumstances, time or health, driven
on by his communal consciousness----which all conscientious communists
ceaselessly develop in themselves-- the Soviet man becomes indifferent toward
work, and by now not working on the job is considered the right thing to do.
Everyone who manages to get away with it enjoys the reputation of being
successful and business-like. Everyone envies them, everyone emulates them.
The
Soviet man is forced to spend a great deal of time participating in a variety of
political events: demonstrations, rallies, festive and less-festive
get-togethers and public meetings, "volunteer" work on weekends,
political study groups, amateur artist activities, or is sent to work at produce
warehouses, sovkhozes, office building construction sites, DOSAAF (All Union
Voluntary Society for Assistance to the USSR Army, Air Force and Navy) and MPVO
[local air defense] training, "druzhiniki' or volunteer teams helping the
police patrol the streets and are encouraged to take up sports. All this is seen
as developing in him qualities which will make him a new Soviet man, a man who
will work even better, a man who will be selflessly devoted and ready at a
moment's notice,., etc. At first they thought they could do all this outside of
working hours, but it was beyond them. Now he does all this at the expense of
his job, generating in him a profound sense of pointlessness and secondary
importance of the work he is being paid for. That's one of the reasons why
Soviet industry and agriculture are extremely unproductive and why products are
of such depressing quality.
The Reasons for
Continuous and Invariable Mismanagement
The
word "mismanagement" is very popular; it has never left the lips of
leaders of the Soviet state throughout the 70 years of its existence. Of course,
there have always been objective causes to explain the pitiful state of the
Soviet economy: the war before the Revolution, the Civil War, the construction
of a new unprecedented society, droughts and...--enemies, enemies and
enemies--domestic and foreign. Then the war again. But now there has not been a
war for 40 years, and what of the economy? Read about it in the Soviet
newspapers of this glasnost era. The leaders themselves say their economy is in
a pre-crisis state.
The
new type of man--the Soviet man-must be a-religious, a materialist. Apparently,
this is not quite true in a religious sense. It is true that the Soviet man is
not to believe in God, and he is to be a materialist. But he is also to believe
wholeheartedly in and be devoted to the ideology, the Party and its leaders·
That is, he is to retain religious feelings, but to direct them elsewhere. They
would like to put an end to religion once and for all, but they have not managed
to eradicate people's faith quickly by radical means –destruction of churches,
murder and annihilation of clergy. Naturally, there were objective causes at
work here as well; World War II, for example. Very quickly the military
situation became critical: in a short period of time the unbridled enemy
destroyed the valorous Red Army. The entire nation had to rise in defense of its
victories, but the new qualities that were cultivated in the new man did not
live up to the task. One had but to rely on the qualities proven more than once
in the past: true struggle against faith had to be relaxed, the churches had to
be reopened, the number of priests increased, baptism of children was tolerated,
and blessed were those who were called to defend us.
March on
Religion and National Traditions
Despite
the difficulties it seemed there were quite a few successes. In the 1950's, the
country appeared to be nearly religion free: the number of churches remaining
appeared to be insignificant, only old men and women dared to go to them, church
marriages were of a great rarity, one was unlikely to see someone crossing
himself in public, Nonetheless, belief in God has not been uprooted to this day.
To this day the churches are filled to overflow with people praying; more than
half of the children born are being baptized by their parents, adults not
baptized in childhood are also receiving baptism, and there are quite a few of
them. In the glasnost era, statements--trial balloons--have been appearing in
the Soviet press to the effect that religion does not need to be destroyed at
all, but only used to enhance morality to build communism. In other words, if it
can not be destroyed, it should be put to use... to build a religion-free
society.
And
what about ethnic traditions of the new man? Will they give in to eradication?
So far it has been extremely difficult. One might say that success has not been
achieved in creating a man totally devoid of ethnic self-awareness, and there
are no indications that success will be achieved some time in the future. Now
they are talking about an international brotherhood of various peoples, about a
single Soviet nationality. In this "brotherhood of peoples," the role
of "older brother" is foisted off on the Russian people, and the
Russian language is foisted off on all other ethnic groups. Shallow and careless
researchers view this as a manifestation of Russian nationalism, We might raise
the following objection. It is difficult to say if those who hold real power in
the country perceive themselves as belonging to a specific ethnic group, but it
is obvious that they are totally indifferent to the ethnic affiliation of their
subjects; they obviously would prefer that they have none. They would mold many
ethnic groups into one--a Soviet nationality--and then build a completely
nationality-free society. The Russian people are to play the role of a goat in a
herder sheep: the goat is pulled by his horns, and the herd follows.
“Scapegoat” is the role that befalls him. Because of the dubious
honor of being called older brother, it is he who must set an example to be a
model of internationalism; it is his national self-awareness which most be
eradicated first--to set an example.
The
first fatal blow was struck at the culture and the churches of the Russian
people. It was the Russian countryside that was robbed and ruined to sustain the
struggle for the triumph of communism throughout the world. But fusing the
various ethnic groups into one single nationality went awry. These efforts led
to the accumulation of belligerent hostility of fraternal peoples to each other
individually and as a whole toward the Russian people, They needed an
"older brother" as a dog needs a fifth leg.
A depressing picture emerges, and given that, it is conceivable that
communism could still roll through every country on earth, It is very active. It
attacks continuously, and the Free World only defends itself. The pressure does
not lessen either over time or over distance, and openings appear here and there
which are instantly filled. The world is tired from constantly defending itself.
Whenever the communists need to regroup, to mass for another strike, they
announce that now they are likable, the good guys, and the whole world instantly
relaxes, as if to encourage the communists' good intentions, to reinforce and
prolong them. The world welcomes them with open arms, gives them food,
technology, weapons, up to and including armed support. Incidentally, no one
remembers a single instance in which communists in any way expressed their
gratitude to the countries which helped them in difficult times. After the
unpardonable deal with Hitler and pinching off pieces of Europe at the start of
World War II, the communists suddenly found themselves in a critical situation:
their berserk partner proved to be treacherous and shameless, reversed course
and declared war on its own ally. At that point, it seemed that God Himself
would decree to help the communists. But as soon as the Fascists were defeated,
communist propaganda started braying acidly, pathetically and insolently that
they got little help, few arms, few uniforms, little transport and little food;
that a second front was not opened for along time; that before the war, Britain,
France and America were all but allies with Hitler. And as they were shouting,
they swallowed half of Europe and managed to snatch something away from Japan.
To this day (while complaining about the ingratitude of the Chinese communists),
they boast of their participation in the Chinese civil war.
Soviet Policy:
Detente and Reality
Later--the
post-Stalin era: the communists lift the Iron Curtain, the world is ecstatic.
And then...Cuba, Hungary, threats at the UN. Disappointment, but not for long:
the communists suddenly start crying “coexistence," claiming that they
had always hoped for co-existence
with imperialists and were ready to co-exist, to open wide their arms,
to yield, to cooperate. And then... Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Czechoslovakia. A
chill again, but not for long. They turned Cambodia-an inoffensive, flourishing
country-into a slaughterhouse: shooting, stabbing, slicing, sawing, burying
alive; half of the people were
killed (including women, children and the elderly). It seemed that this
could not be forgotten or justified... But
no--more peace proposals from the Soviets, "detente."
Detente is greeted by the entire world. Once detente starts, bread and other foodstuffs
(butter, meat, etc.) are offered, new technology (computers, and so on, and so
forth) is injected to support the weakened communist economy, there are
reciprocal visits by lawyers, actors, weavers, physicians, athletes, even party
delegations and exchanges of movies. And then...Afghanistan, Africa, Central
America. Just terrible, surely no one in the world is deceived.
But
no--it is as if there is an irrepressible desire for self-deception, to believe
only in good and then everything
can be made right. The era of glasnost and perestroika dawns for the communists,
and the whole world is moved! So much does it want to believe "only in
good." Immediately it becomes unseemly to talk about Afghanistan: after
all, they promised to withdraw right away, just as soon as... In fact, it is one
thing to understand all this. The hard thing's to oppose arrogance, and when it'
s not opposed, it multiplies.
Then, what is this Glasnost and perestroika? There seems to be no doubt
that Gorbachev has "good intentions;" he would like to lead the
peoples to communism, and for it to
go smoothly. At least it seems that he sincerely believes what he says. But who doesn't
have good intentions? In one of Pogodin' s plays, Lenin says that, in his view, people
are all good, that one would like to pat them on the head, but must beat them
instead. And he did. The task of preparing the soil to create a communist
society, the new man and of
destroying "unnecessary" classes fell to his lot. Stalin also was
apparently not devoid of good intentions. He had children, grandchildren, and
liked to kid around. He probably also felt the urge to pat people on the head,
but had to beat them instead. As simple, benevolent and humane as Khrushchev
was, quite unlike his great predecessors, even he was forced to beat them on the
bead: first Stalin's criminal cronies, then the anti-party group which hampered
dismantling of the cult, then writers who overstepped the boundaries, then
abstractionist artists, then the ungrateful Hungarians, then the unconscientious
citizens of Novorossisk, then executives who got out of hand to the point that
capital punishment was necessary to deal with them, then the speculators, then
the bums. And what a job it was to deal with stubborn believers!
What Can Be
Changed, and What Changes Are Desirable
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