Communism

            The Reasons for the fall of Socialism/Communism and the Troubles .
             of Starting the New Democratic System in the Russian Federation "Let's .
             not talk about Communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the .
             sky." Boris Yeltsin (b. 1931), Russian politician, president. Remark .
             during a visit to the U.S. Quoted in: Independent (London, 13 Sept. .
             1989). .
             The fall of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union was more .
             than a political event. The powerful bond between economics and .
             politics that was the integral characteristic of the state socialist .
             system created a situation that was unique for the successor states of .
             the Soviet Union. The Communist regime was so ingrain in every aspect .
             of Soviet life that the Russian people were left with little .
             democratic tradition. Russia faces the seemingly impracticable task of .
             economic liberalization and democratization. This is combined with the .
             fact that the new administration must address human rights issues, .
             such as living conditions and the supply of staple goods in this new .
             form of administration makes the prospect of a full democratic switch .
             seemingly impossible.
             To fully understand the scope of the transference of governing .
             power in the Russian Federation, one must first look at the old.
             Socialist/Communist regime, to see the circumstances under which it .
             fell gives a good view of why this transference is almost impossible.
             In the beginning Communism seemed to the people of Russia as a .
             utopian ideal. The promise of the elimination of classes, of .
             guaranteed employment , "The creation of a comprehensive social .
             security and welfare system for all citizens that would end the.
             misery of workers once and for all." Lenin's own interpretation of the .
             Marxian critique was that to achieve Communism there would first have .
             to be a socialist dictatorship to first suppress any dissent or .
             protest. Through coercive tactics this new government seized power and .