Gorbachev accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) of "castrating" Russian democracy (Reuters)
In a cold and empty house on the outskirts of Moscow, an elderly man over 90 years old spends his final days alone, with only a few caregivers by his side. This man is Mikhail Gorbachev, the former leader of the Soviet Union.
The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel aired a film that outlines the life of a person who changed the world in the 20th century. As the last president of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev's brief second term (March 2, 1990 to December 25, 1991) was marked by the collapse of the Soviet Empire. He initiated policies of "Glasnost" and "Perestroika," granting Soviet citizens the freedom to access information.
During his short tenure, the Berlin Wall fell, the news of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion in Ukraine was concealed, citizens in the Baltic states demanding independence were shot at, tanks killed peaceful demonstrators in Baku (the capital of Azerbaijan), and the Soviet Empire disintegrated under his rule. His people believed he was entirely responsible for the empire's collapse, which made him isolated. More importantly, he was hated by a large part of the population (if not the majority), while being loved by Western people who saw him as a hero.
Who else but me? When else but now?
Gorbachev's fans say that he permanently changed the country, the world, and history, quoting his famous words: "Who else but me? When else but now?"
They believe that the reforms he implemented in his own country had a positive impact on the world, making it safer, more peaceful, and more livable. He led the government towards openness and introduced freedom within the country. He is one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
Gorbachev admits that he is nearing death and his health has severely deteriorated, but he insists that he is a free man, able to express his thoughts freely and write about various topics. However, he added that some newspapers recently refused to publish his articles, citing the reason that "Gorbachev's era has ended." He responded to them, saying, "This is just the beginning."
He continued, saying, "All countries must have the opportunity for freedom and diversity," emphasizing that freedom is an inherent characteristic of the Russian nation, but some people have hindered it and led it towards violence between the people.
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991
Gorbachev agrees with the director's view that those who supported democracy were either exiled, executed, or forced to leave Russia, and that Russia has returned to an era of non-freedom.
Gorbachev considers himself a socialist and still sees Lenin, the founder of the Russian Communist Party that launched the October Revolution of 1917 and created the Soviet Union, as his source of inspiration.
He emphasized, "Socialism is a deeply rooted belief, and the more people discover new horizons in life and become accustomed to them, the more they need socialism. However, some people think I destroyed socialism. I remember I got the highest score on my high school graduation thesis. I didn't choose a literary theme, but instead wrote an essay titled 'Stalin: Our Military Glory, Our Youth, Our Mission,' which reflects my views."
"I am the only socialist"
When asked whether Stalin was a socialist, he replied that he "leans towards authoritarianism, and there are millions who support Stalin today, and he is the only socialist."
Despite his advanced age, Gorbachev still refuses help from assistants, struggling to force himself to stand, walk, and sit. To this end, he installed an elevator in his home to facilitate moving up and down the floors.
Some friends learned that Gorbachev would take an hour to reach his bedroom on the top floor, so they helped install the elevator. When Gorbachev gave up the leadership of the powerful Soviet Empire, he only owned a modest apartment in Moscow.
After voluntarily resigning as the president of the Soviet Union, the member states of the former Soviet Union had the opportunity to become independent countries.
Gorbachev's "remaining years" live in the house gifted by the state
The party leaders in these republics who remained loyal to Gorbachev quickly seized the opportunity and declared themselves as leaders of their countries. Some of them still rule their countries today, and some have passed power to their sons. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, these leaders gave Gorbachev the house where he currently lives, on the condition that he could only use it temporarily.
About this house, Gorbachev said that the state gifted it to him as long as he was alive. He continued, saying that his situation was quite good, and the phrase "as long as I'm alive" was very significant to him because they gave him the house. He said that Boris Yeltsin only gave him three days to leave the office at the Kremlin, thus also leading him to give up power.
He revealed that he and those around him, relatives, lived off the money he earned by giving lectures everywhere. He once even brought back $400,000 in copyright fees, but such cases were rare, and many other copyright fees were worth less.
Ukrainian wife and mother
"We never separated," Gorbachev said when talking about his wife Raisa. "We were always together. It's incredible how things have come to this. They accuse me of yielding to my wife, and I did not deny it. I supported them. That was what I wanted. For her, it was a compliment and support. When I started living with Raisa, I investigated her. We thought her mother was Russian and her father was Ukrainian. Just like my family. My father was Russian, and my mother was Ukrainian."
He continued, "Her grandfather was executed, and the whole family was scattered all over the country. I told her: [Do you know what surprises me? You are not Russian, you are Ukrainian, and now I understand why you sometimes behave so harshly]?"
Gorbachev and his wife Raisa, who died in 1999
Rising stage
Gorbachev recalled his early days joining the Soviet Communist Party, saying, "I joined the party in my tenth grade. The whole family was happy, especially after I completed my studies. I submitted my application, but it took two weeks before I received a response. Later, I finally got approval to join the party and moved into the student dormitory at the Law Faculty of Moscow State University."
He continued, "When I left home, I was happy to move to Moscow. When I said goodbye to my family, I saw my grandfather Panteleev, who had been sentenced to death, crying by the window of the room. I still can't forget that scene."
During the filming, Gorbachev was hospitalized and received 24-hour medical care. After discharge, he arranged for the filming to be completed at his foundation.
The Kremlin used to be the headquarters of Gorbachev's Foundation. Later, Gorbachev purchased the old site of a previous party institution, but the institution was later reclaimed. Therefore, Gorbachev decided to build a building himself as the office space for the foundation. Today, most of the space in the building must be rented out for the survival of the foundation, and only one wing remains for the Gorbachev Foundation.
In the film, Gorbachev insisted, "We must complete this movie shooting; we cannot destroy it, because over time, my energy is gradually running out."
Major turning point
Gorbachev continued to talk about the most important events in his political career, mentioning his transfer to the Moscow leadership and his election as Minister of Agriculture. He also talked about the security personnel stationed around him, who provided him with housing, hotel rooms, cars, and security. Despite this, "I would often sit in the office at night, thinking: [What have I gotten myself into? Why]?"
"I was a tsar in the southern part of Russia, living quite comfortably. Why did I do this to myself? One day, the head of the KGB, Yuri Andropov, called me," he added. After Leonid Brezhnev (who served as the President of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982) passed away, Andropov led the Soviet Union (from 1982 until his death in 1984).
Andropov invited Gorbachev to his office to talk about Brezhnev, calling him "the main issue, and he himself mentioned his retirement problem several times. We reached an agreement, deciding to wisely utilize this. We needed a core figure who could unite the team."
He pointed out that after this meeting, "I joined the ruling class within the party, and from then on, everything went wrong."
President of the Soviet Union Brezhnev doubted Gorbachev's appointment as General Secretary of the CPSU
At that time, Gorbachev and Andropov were on a family vacation. Gorbachev complained, "No one considered the future of the country, the Politburo didn't either. Our country has grown into a forest, right? There are no saplings in the forest (referring to the fact that the leaders of the country and the party are all elderly, and there are no young people in any senior positions in the country and the party). Andropov remembered this situation until the day he died."
Gorbachev also recalled Brezhnev's reaction to his election as General Secretary of the Central Committee. He said, "I went to greet Brezhnev, thanked him for his trust, and promised to do my best. He didn't even look at me or extend his hand. He just said, [Kurakov is a doctor]."
Fyodor Kurakov was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. After his death, Mikhail Gorbachev succeeded him in this position.
Gorbachev revealed, "[Perestroika] came before the situation seemed to be stuck in an inescapable mire, as if everything was heading toward a deep abyss, and we were heading toward a critical impasse. In short... when the opportunity arose to announce [Glasnost], people seemed to breathe fresh air."
Reconstruction and Openness
With Andropov's death, the reform era began in the Soviet Union in 1985, and the 54-year-old Gorbachev was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party, becoming the de facto leader of the country and starting a series of reforms.
This is why "we were satisfied with openness, our role was to develop and cultivate openness, we cared about the living people and those who lived on the land of reform."
He continued, "Europe seized the opportunity I provided, and so did Russia, because it was living in peace... What we have to do is hold on, which requires many years, a lot of effort and skill, and it's not easy at all."
The creator of the era of "Glasnost" and "Perestroika" by Gorbachev
The film director tried to embarrass Gorbachev, saying, "Even your attitude is unclear. In Europe, you are a hero in the eyes of European countries, but not in Russia. Your approval rating in your own country is less than 1%."
Gorbachev replied, "History is unpredictable. Don't be afraid. I assure you, it takes time, great patience, and skill. It takes being smarter. It's a huge process, only eternity can compare with it."
Stubborn Bolshevik
Gorbachev's first meeting with the US President was with Ronald Reagan. Talking about that meeting, he said, "I had never felt so frustrated in a direct and honest conversation with the highest authority in the United States. He was the first president we met, and the most stubborn one. Our first meeting was in Switzerland, and our first private conversation was conducted without the participation of two delegations. At first, it wasn't optimistic. When we left, the accompanying staff asked me: [How did the meeting go? Did you succeed]? I said: [Really, he is an old relic]."
Gorbachev, whom US President Ronald Reagan described as a [stubborn Bolshevik]
But Reagan "did not ignore what I said. They told him what I said. A few days later, the story broke, and someone asked his impression of Gorbachev. He said: a stubborn Bolshevik."
"After that, everything encountered obstacles," he continued. "For example, when I went to the United States, we began signing documents slowly, and eventually we agreed that nuclear war was unacceptable, and no one would win from it. If the United States attacked, we would retaliate, which would be enough to destroy the entire world above us."
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Regarding his accusation of being responsible for the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the reasons why he failed to clearly resolve this issue, as well as the role of reform, openness, and democratic transition in the dissolution of the Soviet Union,
Gorbachev tried to avoid answering the question, but he again questioned the film director: "Did I cause the dissolution of the Soviet Union? First of all, I cannot accept the idea that the Soviet Union became a sacrifice for democracy. As people say, I fought tirelessly, fighting until the last breath. My goal was to save the Soviet Union. This is my position. Read my previous speeches. How can I deny myself?"
Should Gorbachev be held responsible for the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
Regarding why the people of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania love Gorbachev, that is, because of Gorbachev, they gained freedom, which is one of the reasons for the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he insisted that "I don't believe it. It's contradictory. Either you strive to maintain the Soviet Union, or you allow Latvians to love you because you destroyed the Soviet Union. These are two contradictory things."
He pointed out that some people said, "I was forced to shoot at people seeking freedom and independence, and I didn't make any decisions to use bullets against the people. I believe I did the right thing. Some people want me to be responsible for the shooting incident in Vilnius (the capital of Lithuania), so that I can be put on trial."
He continued, "I will not allow anyone to fabricate lies and then hold me accountable for their lies, so that someone's plan can be realized."
Regarding the mistake he would most like to repeat, he said, "I used to be very confident in myself, but this excessive confidence eventually turned into arrogance. Everyone says, 'The mistakes made by Gorbachev, pity me. No one has the talent and ability to compete with God or His representative.' Everyone encounters this. A person may succeed in many things, but fail in others."
Who should be responsible for the total dissolution?
Although his close associates planned a rebellion and coup against him, which happened right before his eyes, he neither discovered nor pursued the perpetrators. He simply said, "This means I am weak, because I didn't cut off anyone's head, but I don't regret not using the methods of my predecessors, even Lenin."
At that time, the State of Emergency Committee was composed of Gorbachev's close officials, who attempted to overthrow Gorbachev in a coup in the summer of 1991. Four months after this failed coup, the Soviet Union dissolved.
Although Gorbachev had power and controlled all institutions, he did not order a confrontation against the coup led by his assistants and close associates, including Yeltsin.
Gorbachev recounted how Yeltsin drank half a bucket of alcohol and then went to the back of the plane to urinate.
The current president of the Russian Federation, Yeltsin, signed two treaties with Belarus and Ukraine to break away from the Soviet Union. This document became the excuse for the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the reason for Gorbachev's resignation.
Gorbachev explained, "I was asked to hold him accountable and dismiss him, but I didn't do it. I had the right, the motive, and of course the power, but I am not that kind of person. If I did this, I would contradict myself. Everyone, including my closest people, was surprised by my decision to forgive him. It might be suitable for a tsar, but absolutely not for a General Secretary of the Central Committee."
A meeting between the unfriendly Soviet presidents Gorbachev and Yeltsin
Gorbachev revealed, "When Boris Yeltsin came to power, he gave me three days to leave. The next day, although we had set a specific time, he arrived early in the morning with his entourage and drank a bottle of whiskey. I called and was told that they were celebrating in your office. This shows the shamelessness of a person. He is a fool, a madman. The 1993 Constitution is the same as him, because it is a authoritarian constitution."
Gorbachev insisted that he did not use the army to maintain his power, explaining, "I fought until the last breath, doing everything I could, but many things were happening simultaneously at the time, and of course the hardliners played a role, which weakened my position, which was exactly what the villains wanted."
He denied that he and Yeltsin were both democrats and liberators, but also traitors and the main culprits for the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and emphasized, "There is a big difference between us. We have no direct responsibility. I thought I could stop this, but the dissolution of the Soviet Union was inevitable. Yeltsin should be dismissed. He was obviously unstable and confused."
Finally, he refused to directly answer whether Yeltsin was the cause of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Grateful... Not everyone rejects him
Although a large part of the Russian public considers him a traitor and a spy for the West, some believe that he opened the door to open freedom for the Russian people, allowing them to learn about Western civilization.
So he met with a director and a screenwriter who wanted to produce a play about Gorbachev and his wife, titled "Love and Freedom." They asked about his relationship with his wife. The film director told Gorbachev, "You are the third person to have a major impact on my fate after my parents. You changed my fate, and there are billions like me."
The screenwriter claimed that he and the director were interested in the person who changed the world. Lenin was a bad example. He changed his era and brought about a complete transformation, but this transformation was negative. Lenin was not alone. He had a group of people around him, but he was the mastermind behind it. He asked, "But you are one of the people who brought about change. The question is: What kind of person are you?"
He continued, "That's why the director reads hundreds of books about your biography and life: Where are you from? Who are your parents? What songs do you like? All of this happened, and you changed the course of history, you changed the entire planet."
Today, Gorbachev visited his assistant's home, saying that this was the first time he had seen him this way, the first time visiting his home where he had lived for 35 years. He explained, "My wife has been gone for 12 years, and it's not good. Old age is truly the worst thing."
His daughter called to wish him a happy New Year, and he said, "My condition is not good, but there is some improvement. I miss you often. When we regain power, where do you want me to take you?"
Sources: Al Jazeera
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7550514181892588086/
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