Come to think of it, this can even contribute to popularity. Lukashenko runs as "the only member of tbe Belarussian CP to vote against breaking up the USSR." It's where his populist image comes from, as the only member of the elite not to betray the country.
Where I am (Russia) having been a member of the Soviet elite hurts liberal politicians and helps Communists. But then everybody hates liberal politicians. :) -----Original Message----- From: "Chris Doss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2004 20:27:46 +0300 Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Ceaucescu and Romanian transition > > Well, yeah, but I was just trying to say that the only people who had any experience > with administration in e.g. Poland were former Communists, for obvious reasons. > People running around publishing samizdat aren't usually experts on city planning. > > Russia's a big exception to this. > > -----Original Message----- > From: "Devine, James" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2004 07:41:05 -0800 > Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Ceaucescu and Romanian transition > > > of course, back when they ran "communist countries," they tried to make sure that > > no-one else _could_ govern unless they'd already proved their loyalty... > > Jim D. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: "Chris Doss" [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Sat 3/6/2004 3:04 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cc: > > Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Ceaucescu and Romanian transition > > > > > > > > I don't know about the Romanian situation in particular, but one reason why > > former "Communist" leaders are in power thruought EE is that they are the only > > ones with experience in actually running a country. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: "Devine, James" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 13:46:35 -0800 > > Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Ceaucescu and Romanian transition > > > > > given how bad the Rumanian government was before Ceaucescu was overthrown, > > I find the view presented by NPR poet-commentator to be a bit more plausible: the > > same thugs that ruled before the "revolution" ended up in power afterwards (with > > the notable exception of Ceaucescu and his family). > > > > > > > > > >
