How Reagan fought the "evil empire"
March 23, 1983 Ronald Reagan during a televised address to the nation, in which he announced the work of the United States on the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
The economy of the States "floated". The arms race has greatly accelerated the approach of a new crisis of capitalism. The US failed to make a new military-technological revolution and achieve military superiority over the Russians. The union, contrary to the cries of the Jews and fools, on the contrary, had a lot of opportunities and reserves for a breakthrough into the future.
Decomposition of the Soviet elite
In the 1980s, the Americans launched an offensive in two main directions. The first is a powerful information war against the USSR. The second is an attempt to make a revolution in military affairs in order to scare the Kremlin. For both, America was able to impress the consciousness of the Soviet elite.
The point was that the rule of Khrushchev and Brezhnev relaxed the Soviet elite. Moscow abandoned Stalin's program, forced development, constant mobilization of the elite (with simultaneous renewal and purges), building a society of knowledge, service and creativity.
The Soviet nomenklatura considered that the positions achieved were sufficient for parity with the United States. The peace of the country is protected by the invincible Soviet army. The economy is booming. The party is pursuing a sensible policy. The country was lulled.
"Everything is calm in Baghdad"
“Nothing can happen with us, except good things”!
This was the "golden age" of the Union. Unlike the United States, the Soviet people had no fear of nuclear war. Life was constantly improving.
As a result, the country and the upper classes relaxed. But any stop in development is stagnation, and then degradation. This was used in the West.
After the relaxation of international tensions in the 1960s and 1970s, the West, led by the United States, from the late 1970s and 1980s, unexpectedly for Moscow, began to exert strong ideological, informational, political, economic and military pressure on the USSR.
This frightened part of the relaxed Soviet elite, which had already considered that the existing situation was forever. One part of the elite began to make ill-considered, erroneous actions, plunging the country into senseless and ineffective costs (for example, an arms race), increasing the imbalance in the national economy.
Another part of the Soviet leadership decided to reach a compromise with the United States at any cost. Agree with American "partners", even at the cost of concessions and surrender. De facto, a "fifth column", "rats", a detachment of accomplices of the enemy inside the country, ready to surrender all the achievements of socialism for the sake of personal and narrow-group interests, appears in the Soviet Union.
In the West, everything was calculated very well. We discovered the weak point of the USSR. The Soviet elite was drained of blood by the Great Patriotic War. A significant part of the new creative Soviet generation, brave, devoted to the country and people, energetic and technocratic, fell in the war. Many of those who remained and those who fought or worked in the rear took the principle as a basis for life:
"If only there was no war."
Others by the end of the 70s - the beginning of the 80s were deep elders with a weakened will, lack of energy, their minds lost flexibility and courage. They did not want a new battle with the West, no scientific and technical breakthroughs into the future, titanic achievements.
True, there were practically no traitors among this military generation.
The worst situation was with the younger generation - 30s and later. These did not fight, did not know the realities of pre-revolutionary Russia, did not see the blood of the Civil War, the "swamps" of the 1920s and were struck by decay. Someone believed that the USSR could be liberalized, brought closer to the West. That you can agree with the Americans, make Russia a part
"Developed world community".
Others believed that the USSR was sick and needed "perestroika" and "reforms". In this case, it is necessary to use the European (Western) experience. Someone just wanted to surrender the country and privatize the colossal Russian wealth in order to enjoy the "Western fairy tale".
This was already a young generation of the Soviet elite. She did not know hunger, poverty and war. "This country" and the people did not know and despised ("undeveloped scoop"). They did not know about the miracles hidden in the depths of the Soviet military-industrial complex, they prayed for the "market" and Western innovations. They believed in primitive Western theories about the market and democracy. We dreamed of becoming a part of the world elite, consuming like in the West (foreign rags, whiskey, cars and strip bars).
Of course, there were also patriots in the USSR. They were more numerous (ordinary members of the party and the Komsomol, ordinary citizens). But they found themselves without leaders and organization.
The majority did not even know that an undeclared war was going on against the country until the USSR collapsed. People worked, built and invented while the "worms" were subversive.
And the Americans clearly grasped all this. And they launched a powerful psychic, informational and military-economic war against Soviet civilization.
Reagan vs. the Soviets
Ronald Reagan spearheaded a new offensive against Russia.
He was born in 1911 in Tampico (Illinois) into a poor family. He spent his childhood and youth in small provincial towns. He showed interest in sports and acting, had the ability to speak. Under the influence of his mother, he was religious, belonged to the Protestant church.
After college, he worked for small radio stations in Iowa, covering sports events. It was during this time that he laid the foundation for the future.
"Great communicator".
In 1937 he passed screen tests and signed a contract with Warner Bros. Studios. During the Second World War, he was engaged in military propaganda. In 1945 he was transferred to the reserve with the rank of captain and returned to his acting career. During his entire film career, Reagan starred in 54 films. These were mostly low-budget films.
It was important for his political development that he was an active trade unionist. In 1947, Reagan became president of the Screen Actors Union. This activity taught him how to negotiate, developed a political gift: when to be tough and adamant, and when to come to an agreement. At this time, he actively collaborated with the FBI and showed himself to be an ardent Russophobe and anti-communist. This was the time of the American "witch hunt" - a violent struggle against any manifestation of sympathy for Russians, Russia and communism. As usual, many innocent people suffered during such a struggle.
At first, Reagan was a member of the Democratic Party, admired Roosevelt and his new course. During his tenure at General Electric (sort of like a political commissar), Reagan toured the company's factories across the country and delivered speeches to employees to foster employee loyalty to his corporation. He emphasized the importance of the individual, praised the ideals of American democracy, warned against the communist threat and the danger of the growth of the welfare state. In 1962, Reagan became a Republican (he had previously shown conservatism).
A firm hand policy
In 1967-1975. Reagan made his way to governor of California. The state was in dire straits: the previous Democrat governor practically bankrupted it with his extensive social programs. California suffered from unemployment and inflation. Students staged riots against the Vietnam War, blacks against racial segregation and poverty.
Reagan began to pursue a policy of firm hand. On students who ignored the ultimatum of the new governor -
"Go back to school or drop out!"
- the National Guard was abandoned. Black activists were pressured by police and racist non-governmental organizations. (Reagan gave them the green light.)
For a while, order in the state was restored. But in the economic realm, the Reagan blitzkrieg failed immediately. Reagan's team, which included the state's leading entrepreneurs, developed an anti-crisis program. It included a 10% reduction in state spending. Financing of educational institutions, hospitals, various social programs (employment, assistance to the unemployed, etc.) was stopped. The new administration has promised a balanced budget and tax cuts.
However, the very next year Reagan announced a rate hike, and by the end of his reign, the budget had swelled 280% over the previous year. This was due both to past debts and the appetites of the Reagan team, which subsidized their own businesses.
Contrary to his conservative campaign slogans, during his two terms as governor, taxes were raised, the state budget was doubled, and the number of civil servants was not reduced.
As governor, Reagan displayed many of the typical traits that later characterized his presidency. He emphasized his conservatism, knew how to set priorities, but did not interfere in the work of the administration and the legislative process. Reagan spoke directly to voters to pressure both houses of the legislature. In controversial issues, he knew how to act pragmatically, to come to an agreement.
Head of the White House
Reagan's talents (media specialist and speaker) paved the way for him to the White House. His pompous speeches found a great response in the Republican Party. The tough anti-communist stance pleased the bosses of the American military-industrial complex. The United States at that time needed a tough leader to give a decisive battle to the USSR, to save the West from the incipient crisis of capitalism.
This led Reagan to victory in the 1980 presidential election. He spoke with his already traditional slogans: tax cuts to stimulate the economy; reducing the role of the state in the life of the people; increased spending on national defense; focused attention on the Soviet threat. All of this was presented with great patriotic pathos.
Reagan had fundamental convictions (they came from religious ones), knew how to identify himself and his politics with American values. Reagan's energy, his flamboyant speeches and parody of the "Conservative Revolution" hit the American public.
During his first term in office (1981-1985), Reagan had two rings of advisers. The inner ring was made up of a “three”: D. Becker, E. Meese and M. Deaver. The second ring reported to the "troika", but did not have access to the president.
During the second term of the presidency (1985-1989), overcentralization was strengthened. The place of the "troika" was taken by one person - Reagan. The President was also greatly influenced by the energetic and power-hungry First Lady, Nancy Reagan. At the same time, she made horoscopes and trusted the advice of astrologers.
The authority of the president collapsed at that time due to the Iran-Contra scam, the collapse of the stock exchange, the growing budget deficit and foreign trade, and the growing problems in the economy (a new stage of the crisis of capitalism).
Reigonomics did not save America's economy. The United States is facing the threat of socio-economic collapse. The United States was saved from a possible catastrophe only by the collapse of the social bloc and the USSR.
Reducing tax rates in the spirit of Reagan's conservatism (Reaganomics) did not lead to a noticeable improvement in the situation of the economy and its growth. In doing so, it sparked a five-year speculative boom on Wall Street. The stock market boom was exacerbated by a wave of multibillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions - the Reagan administration virtually stopped enforcing anti-trust laws.
It also loosened control over utilities and lowered environmental and safety standards for industry. Social spending has been cut.
However, a combination of lower tax rates and a sharp increase in military spending led to large budget deficits. The budget has grown steadily, from $ 699 billion in 1980 to $ 859 billion in 1987. The budget deficit grew steadily and reached a record high of $ 1986 billion in 221.
The government was forced to borrow money on a scale unprecedented in peacetime. A lot of funds came from abroad, especially from Japan, which actively invested in America. The national debt rose from $ 997 billion to $ 2,85 trillion.
In the spirit of conservatism, there has been a huge increase in military spending directed against Russia. An unprecedented weapons program has been launched to put in place
"Evil empire"
so Reagan publicly called the USSR.
The secret services (and especially the CIA, led by W. Casey) were given complete freedom to stimulate resistance in the Soviet sphere of influence and support anti-communist partisan forces in third world countries.
Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan during the inaugural parade in Washington, DC. 1981 year
USA on the verge of a systemic crisis
However, already in 1982, a strong opposition formed in Congress, which at first cut the growth of the military budget required by the president in half, and since 1984 completely eliminated it.
Public opinion began to change due to the growth of military spending, economic problems and budget deficits. Reagan himself has changed. During the second term, Alzheimer's disease clearly began to progress. The President even stopped recognizing his closest advisers. Due to memory problems and an inability to concentrate, the president almost completely retired.
White House policy was determined by the head of the CIA, William Casey and the first lady.
The economy of the States "floated".
The arms race has greatly accelerated the approach of a new crisis of capitalism. The US failed to make a new military-technological revolution and achieve military superiority over the Russians.
The union, contrary to the cries of the Jews and fools, on the contrary, had a lot of opportunities and reserves for a breakthrough into the future.
There was no tear. The Soviet army was the best in the world and guaranteed the security of Russia. The Soviet state fully retained its sphere of influence in the world and controlled the situation in Afghanistan. In Poland, General Jaruzelski firmly held the reins of power and defeated the anti-Soviet opposition.
The national economy of the USSR provided all the basic needs of citizens. There was no poverty, no hunger, education was the best in the world (or one of the best), good medicine. Science had breakthrough solutions in storehouses. Social guarantees were provided, including free housing. Crime was at the bottom of social life, as were various social illnesses. There was no problem of mass addiction.
In the mid-80s, the USSR had a powerful potential for a leap into the future.
First, the it is the ability of the country, economy, science and people to mobilize and concentrate. We could solve a problem of any complexity in the shortest possible time.
Second, the huge production facilities, a body of excellent scientists, designers, engineers and technicians.
Third, Soviet science and education. The Soviet education system each year gave the country hundreds of thousands of new creators and creators. Their impulse had only to be directed correctly.
Fourthly, in the USSR there were unused technologies of organizational, managerial and mental technologies. With their help, it was possible to solve the problem of the sluggishness and slowness of the bureaucratic apparatus, to radically reduce it. Organizationally link thousands of organizations, design bureaus, enterprises, teams of various departments and institutions.
The problem was not in the people, science, education or the economy of the USSR. And at the top.
The Soviet elite did not want victory.
That is why America, itself already on the brink of a severe crisis, then took over the Soviets.
To be continued ...
- Alexander Samsonov
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/, https://www.gazeta.ru/
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