‘Europe shot itself in the foot’. Historian reimagines West with USSR intact

MINSK, 11 January (BelTA) - In a new episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel Russian historian Yevgeny Spitsyn discussed what would have become of Europe today had the Soviet Union not collapsed.

The expert believes that in light of recent world events, it is necessary to act and react more openly and boldly. “The situation in Ukraine, and especially in the combat zone, gives us a real opportunity to now act without looking back, because the masks have come off,” the historian believes. “Enough of building illusions regarding the bearers of so-called European and American values.”

Yevgeny Spitsyn recalled that after the collapse of the USSR and the opening of borders, many dreamed of going to Europe, chasing false values. “Many believed in this fairy tale about building a common European home. The Europeans themselves shot themselves in the foot. If the Soviet Union and the socialist system had been preserved, Europe would have remained as it was at the end of the 20th century, and perhaps even better, because it had a real competitor in the form of the socialist system. They had to compete, they had to show the best aspects of their existence and their worldview. As soon as all that collapsed, they could drop this mask and show their true nature. They used to boast that in Sweden, in Norway, in West Germany there was such a level of social security, such a great middle class that served as the support and foundation of European democracy. ‘We want that too. We will now liberate our people, legalize the right to private property.’ Let me emphasize: specifically regarding the means of production. The claim that there was no right to private property in the Soviet Union is false, don’t be absurd. The Soviet Union did recognize a right to private property concerning personal items. It was explicitly termed ‘personal property’: an apartment, a car, monetary funds, bank accounts. These were assets that could not be used to exploit the labor of others. However, the right to private ownership of the means of production truly did not exist in the Soviet Union,” the historian clarified.