In this 1992 lecture, Dr. Peikoff offers his perspective, as a philosopher, on the collapse of the Soviet Union. He discusses why he thinks the standard explanations are insufficient and goes on to explain why he thinks the Russian people are unlikely to embrace capitalism, freedom and other Western values. Along the way, he discusses a number of related topics, such as:
- Why a Marxist dictatorship should collapse far sooner than a religious dictatorship
- The consequences of Russia never experiencing the Enlightenment
- Why the Communists failed to unite the “workers of the world”
- The difference between nationalism and patriotism
- Why many Eastern European critics of the Soviet Union, such as Vaclav Havel, do not get to the heart of its problems
- Where he thinks Russia is headed
Peikoff also discusses America’s ongoing trade war with Japan, especially in the automobile industry, examining the premises motivating hatred for Japanese products and support for the “Buy American” campaigns. He then explains how these cultural phenomena are connected to problems in Russian culture that he spoke of earlier.
Finally, Peikoff gives his thoughts on President George H. W. Bush and the upcoming 1992 presidential election, including reasons why he thinks Americans should vote Democratic in 1992.
