Notes for History-April 28th 1956, 1968 Of course, in the Soviet Union, Pol n! coul!

"e seen s the #e $ lin$ in the ch in% &he pro'inence of ( tholicis' here "re! the )roun! for !irect su"version to the st te% Another fir' tr !ition of this country # s the rticul te! unrest n! !iscontent of the #or$ers n! the v st or) ni* tion of l "or% &he pri' ry union or) ni* tion, Soli! rity, orchestr te! series of #or$ers+ stri$es% &heir first # s in ,! ns$, n! # s un!er the le !ership of -ech . les % .hile there #ere offici l )overn'ent /unions,/ these #ere seen s perfi!ious n! insu"st nti l% &he po#ers th t "e, "oth the )overn'ent n! the church, )re# #orrie! of the ' ssive ppe l the 'ove'ent h !% &hus, they 0ointly !ecl re! ' rti l l # in 1ece'"er of 1981% &his # s !r fte! un!er the r tion le th t, if they cont ine! ny !issent !o'estic lly, they coul! ev !e n inv sion of the Soviets% &i'e to p ve the # y, of course, for 2i$h il ,or" chev% He # s "rou)ht to uthority )iven his reput tion for refor' tion% &he econo'ic crisis #hich pl )ue! the USS3 h ! si)nific ntly !eplete! the st n! r! of livin)% &his coul! "e tr ce! " c$ to the oil crisis of the 45s, in #hich they h ! e6pen!e! their resources in ccu'ul tin) the e sily ccessi"le oil% Perestroi$ 7restructurin)8 &his # s the effort to intro!uce 'ore c pit listic ch r cteristics #ithin the Soviet econo'y, #hile not co'pro'isin) soci list i!e ls n! v lues% ,l snost 7free!o' of infor' tion8 &his # s leniency to# r!s speech n! criticis'% 9or the first ti'e, the 3ussi n intelli)entsi # s )r nte! the li"erty to e6press n! voice #h tever !iscontents they so chose% So'e :ffects; --oc l )overn'ents n! supre'e Soviets h ! !istinctive hier rchy prior to ,or" chev+s refor's% An elective le)isl tive "o!y # s then )iven the po#er to control the e6ecutive% &his # s r !ic lly e) lit ri n refor'% -&he 1988 (onstitution spelle! out this ne#foun! !e'ocr cy, n! 1989 s # the first uthentic lly !e'ocr tic elections #ithin the USS3% -&here # s, !!ition lly, n e'ph sis on !iplo' tic rel tions #ith the .est% &here # s !is r' 'ent of nucle r #e pons, !e'ilit ri* tion, etc% N tur lly, n tions #ere s$eptic l of this pro'ise%

3evolutions of 1989; Pol n! -&here #ere or) ni*e! series of stri$es, ll initi te! "y Soli! rity% &his n tion#i!e 'o"ili* tion p ve! the # y for elections in <une of th t s 'e ye r% Unsurprisin)ly, the Soli! rity c n!i! tes "le# their Soviet opponents out of the # ter% =et, fe r still lin)ere!% &he thre t of inv sion see'e! perpetu l% &hey still prev ile!, ho#ever% . les # s electe! presi!ent th t Au)ust, h vin) sc le! the soci l l !!er fro' his hu'"le "e)innin)s s !oc$ #or$er% &i n n'en S>u re # s nother si)nific nt site of nti-co''unist 'ove'ents for !e'ocr cy% 3evolutions of 1989; Hun) ry -?n Octo"er, the Austri n "or!er # s $no#n s the /te r in the ?ron (urt in%/ ,iven the f ct th t Austri # s not n /: st :urope n country,/ it # s l'ost l unchin) p ! for tr velin) the continent% 1989; : st ,er' ny -&his is often re) r!e! s spont neous 'ove'ent% On Nove'"er 9th, there # s 'o'ent of p rticul r si)nific nce% .or! h ! spre ! th t the inf 'ous @erlin . ll #oul! "e torn !o#n, n! the in!ivi!u ls #ere 'et #ith little opposition% -1995 s # unific tion, n! this # s seen s in!ic tive th t /the . r/ h ! fin lly co'e to close% .est ,er' ny, of course, then h ! to " il out their : stern nei)h"or% 1989; 3o' ni &hey #ere seen s the e6ception to the # ve of pe ceful revolutions% .hile these uprisin)s #ere ch r cteri*e! "y their !e'ocr tic n! "loo!less t ctics, 3o' ni +s !ict tor n! si)nific nt nu'"er of others #ere $ille!% 1989; (*echoslov $i &hey h ! "een !epose! "y the /Aelvet 3evolution%/ ?t # s )iven this title !ue to the e se #ith #hich po#er # s sei*e!% A cl v H vel, pl y#ri)ht, # s electe! presi!ent% All those #ho h ! once "een su"0ect to the 'ost severe oppression #ere soon )iven the " n!#i!th to rise to po#er% Un!erst n!in) the (h n)es; &he Pl stic People of the Universe #ere rel tively un$no#n " n! ' r$e! "y their ntico''unist #or$% &hey ulti' tely ) ine! notoriety for this e6 ct s 'e re son% 9r n$ B pp # s s$e! to "e the ne# 2inister of (ulture for (*echoslov $i % .h t prevente! hi' fro' cceptin) this position # s the Unite! St tes+ thre t to revo$e his citi*enship shoul! he !o so% (h rter 44, 'ove'ent initi te! "y H vel, h ! its i!eolo)y l i! out in his #or$, /Po#er of the Po#erless%/ &his sserte! th t those #ho 'in!lessly !voc te for e'pty i!eolo)y perpetu te the !ysfunction of the syste'% He #rites of the /hu' n pre!isposition to truth%/ Post 1989 s # the r !ic l spre !in) of c pit lis', n! pieces of the @erlin . ll

soon "ec 'e co''o!ity 7in n interestin) "it of irony8% H vel+s stru))le, then, soon "ec 'e e6e'pl ry for the i!e li* tion of the .est in post-Soviet #orl!%