Part 2

Seeing Our Future in History   

   When we were kids the joke was, "Russia got Hungry and fried Turkey in Greece." 

   We continue with a historian's remarks about nations and what we might learn from them. 

   Personalities are important. Lenin killed his enemies. Stalin also killed friends. Their nemesis, Trotsky, if successful may not have killed as many. Personal paranoia plays a role. Mao became like the Russians. All killers. 

   In China, Xi Jinping (Joe Biden's "friend") seems likely to repeat aspects of Maoism. Communist China has become a fascist state. There is no attempt to socialize the entire economy. The government is sucking up private enterprise. 

   It's a military, aggressive dictatorship based on nationalism, and it persecutes minorities. 

(Funny, how a Biden administration, which will oppose nationalism

here, may/will be chummy with China's nationalistic regime, there.)

   What's the difference between communism and fascism? The latter is more practical. If Mussolini had died in 1938, he would be remembered as a successful modernizer. But he got Italy into war that destroyed his country. Fascist regimes alienate everyone around them. 

   What about Arab Spring revolutions? They were led by liberals who didn't understand the power of extremist religion. 

   In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood took power, the army overthrew it, and Egypt is back where it was - corruption and dictatorial rule. Only, it won't try attacking Israel again. 

   The attempt to free Syria led to terrible civil war, Russian and Iranian intervention, and the country is ruined. 

   Revolution sometimes leads to ethnic tribalism. That's how leaders gain support. It doesn't matter who they pick on, as long as they can blame someone for all your problems. 

Tomorrow. Part 3, Repeating the 1930s?  

       Jimmy