Gorbachev Dies

[vcczar]

Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the most significant people in history, dies. He's probably the only USSR head of state that I'd say "RIP" too. So, RIP Gorbi. I was about 5 or 6 years old when he came to power. He was consistently in the news. His birthmark was iconic. Unlike the gruff Soviet leaders prior to his reign, he actually smiled and was unusually open to dialogue with the Western world. His reform, designed to open the Soviet Union to Western ideas and ideals, facilitated the breakup of the Soviet Union much more than efforts by Reagan, Thatcher, or Pope John Paul II, although their efforts contributed to this decision. His historical greatness has more to do with the unintended consequences of his actions. 

[Pringles]

A good man who changed the world for the better. 

[DakotaHale]

Gigachad in every sense of the word

[Entrecampos]

Why people continue to say that Portuguese Communist Party changed and isnt Soviet anymore???? They are pure Commie! Support Russia, support North Korea and continue to have 4% in polls.

O PCP emitiu esta quarta-feira uma nota fortemente crítica do ex-líder soviético Mikhail Gorbachev, responsabilizando-o pela restauração do capitalismo na Rússia, sem qualquer palavra de pesar pela sua morte na terça-feira. "Gorbachev foi um dos principais responsáveis pela destruição da União Soviética e a restauração do capitalismo na Rússia, quando o que se impunha era o aperfeiçoamento do socialismo", lê-se na abertura do breve comunicado de apenas um parágrafo e 123 palavras. Para os comunistas, a intervenção de Gorbachev "contribuiu para abrir caminho à contra-ofensiva do imperialismo para recuperar as posições perdidas ao longo do século XX e impor a sua hegemonia no plano mundial, com as graves consequências que daí advieram para os direitos dos trabalhadores, a soberania dos povos, a segurança na Europa e a paz no mundo". A comprovar esta ideia estão, segundo o PCP, "as guerras da Jugoslávia, do Iraque, da Líbia, da Síria, do Iémen, da Ucrânia, entre outras". "O reconhecimento e rasgados elogios que lhe são despendidos pelos responsáveis dos EUA, da UE e da NATO falam por si", termina o comunicado do PCP.

The PCP on Wednesday issued a strongly critical note from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, blaming him for the restoration of capitalism in Russia, without any word of regret for his death on Tuesday. "Gorbachev was one of the main responsible for the destruction of the Soviet Union and the restoration of capitalism in Russia, when what was imposed was the improvement of socialism," reads the opening of the brief communiqué of only one paragraph and 123 words.
For the Communists, Gorbachev's intervention "helped pave the way for the counteroffensive of imperialism to recover the positions lost throughout the 20th century and impose their hegemony on the world level, with the serious consequences that have aprofound for workers' rights, the sovereignty of peoples, security in Europe and peace in the world."Proving this idea, according to the PCP, "the wars of Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, among others." "The recognition and tearing of praise given to us, EU and NATO officials speak for themselves," the PCP statement concludes.
 

[Hestia]

An extremely complicated legacy, one that we probably won't fully understand for a while. Very good reforms for the USSR, but complicated by crackdowns on Lithuania's independence that killed 14 people when the USSR was already in its waning days. (including the article because I didn't know about it until I saw a few comments about it yesterday) 

https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1770099/why-gorbachev-will-not-be-remembered-fondly-in-lithuania

[carbonmonoxide321]

He deserved better, respect for him trying to change Russia