12-2-89 . . . The hot topic these days is the so-called Cold War between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly known as the USSR or Russia. The adjective “cold” is supposed to distinguish this “war” from others, which are hot or heated. It implies that the “fighting” is verbal or ideological rather than physical. For years—for as long as I can remember—these two great nations have been at odds with one another. Ronald Reagan [1911-2004] once referred to the USSR as “the evil empire”, and Americans are fond of quoting former Soviet president Nikita K[h]rushchev [1894-1971] to the effect that the USSR would “bury” the United States. It has gone on and on like this for decades. But startling changes have been taking place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Mikhail Gorbachev has instituted sweeping social and economic reforms called “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (restructuring). Citizens of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Romania are clamoring for change, though it’s not clear to me what they want. At a minimum, I suspect, they want the right to vote in free elections for candidates of their choice. Following that, they want drastic changes in their economies so that they have basic necessities and consumer goods. Many centralized economies have had problems in recent years getting goods where they’re needed and wanted. Basic items such as soap have been scarce, if available at all.
What interests me, as a political observer, is the reaction of American conservatives to the changes that are taking place in the Soviet bloc. Patrick Buchanan and Robert Novak [1931-2009] give every indication of being disappointed by the movement toward democracy and capitalism. They have based their careers on Soviet- and communist-bashing. If the USSR becomes like us, whom will they despise? What will give them focus? If there is no longer an “evil empire” in the modern world, what will bind the conservatives? I’m also seeing a split in the conservative movement that was heretofore obscured. On the one hand, there are social conservatives like Buchanan and Novak who oppose communism on moral grounds. They believe that the United States should do nothing that would help the floundering Soviet economy, even if we or our private firms get something out of it. On the other hand, there are economic conservatives (libertarians, if you will) who want to expand American capitalism throughout the world. They see the USSR as a great untapped market for Western goods, and hence as a source of profit. As they see it, the United States should permit American firms to do business in the USSR even if it helps the Soviets resuscitate their economy. It’s great to see conservatives fighting among themselves for a change. For too long they have been united against liberals.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 