Articles by Dev Murarka

in these elections, but a new process has begun with very interesting implications.
Mulayam Singh reflected both the class position and the short-sightedness of the socio-economic forces represented by him, perched between an attempt to gain access to the upper echelons of power and the desire to keep the lower classes at bay. His position remained midway between the BJP and the dalits a kulak leadership could have taken the dalits under its wings for a fight against, or an adjustment with, the upper classes. But this did not happen because of Mulayam Singh's short-sightedness and vacillations. But Mulayam Singh's vacillations, his antidemocratic acts and his anti-leftism and, at the same time, his failure to get accepted by the ruling classes reflect the failure of the kulaks to emerge as the ruling class, in political terms, in UP.

Though Lebed's rise has been spectacular, almost making Yeltsin appear as a nominal president, it is important to keep in view that this has taken place during a very specific and short period of 16-17 days, between two rounds of presidential elections when Yeltsin needed him badly. Whether this rise will continue after Yeltsin's impressive victory is far from certain.

Twentieth Party Congress Celebration, Indifference and Revilement Dev Murarka The 40th anniversary of the Twentieth Party Congress was observed in Moscow and some other cities in Russia in February, though not in a manner worthy of its significance. There have been no reports of it being marked in the other territories of the former Soviet Union. This is not surprising, given the state of moral and intellectual decay into which contemporary Russia has fallen, not caring or wanting to know what its history of the Communist period is, not wanting to draw proper lessons from its failures and achievements. The supposedly resurgent Communists in Russia marked the occasion in their own way, by beginning a process of rehabilitation of Stalin and denouncing the Congress! The Genesis FORTY years ago, on February 25, 1956, an epoch-making event took place in Moscow. Us echoes may have died down but its consequences are still reverberating throughout the world, even if the occasion itself is only dimly remembered. Its chief organiser, Nikita Khrushchev, could have hardly foreseen the scale of the impact it was to make. This event was the 'secret' speech he made at a closed session only for the delegates to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), held from February 14 to 25, on 'The Cult of Personality and Its Consequences'. The content of the speech was singular, devoted to demystifying Josef Stalin, who had died in 1953, and expose the crimes and repressions committed by him and under his guidance. It was the beginning of the end of the worldwide Stalinist style communist movement, in the Soviet Union above all, as an idedlogical and moral force in politics, a process still going on after four decades and far from completer The 40th anniversary of the Congress was marked in Moscow, and some other cities in Russia in February this year, though not on any grand scale, not in a unified way and not always in a manner worthy of its significance. There have been no reports of it being marked in other territories of the former Soviet Union. This is not surprising, given the state of moral and intellectual decay in which contemporary Russia has fallen, not caring or wanting to know what its history of the communist period is, not wanting to draw proper lessons from its failures and achievements. Also because the Soviet Union, too, has passed into history. Most people have forgotten the occasion, above all the new born, largely ignorant 'democrats' who owe their very existence to the processes started at the Congress.

The really disturbing aspect of the political situation in Russia is the absence of any worthwhile institution-building, any serious promotion of the concept of a law-governed state. Though the ideal of democracy is proclaimed by everyone on the political stage, not only is their understanding of what they mean by democracy confused and primitive, they invariably view their opponents as no less than enemies. The roots of the tragic events of October 1993 were precisely in the approach that an opponent is not only an opponent but a mortal enemy.