Americans have a severe disease - worse than AIDS. It's called the winner's complex.
Mikhail GorbachevRead
Political leaders still think things can be done through force, but that cannot solve terrorism. Backwardness is the breeding ground of terror, and that is what we have to fight.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Force is ineffective against terrorism, which stems from social and economic backwardness.
In this quote, Mikhail Gorbachev emphasizes that using force to combat terrorism is misguided, as it fails to address the underlying issues that contribute to such violence. He argues that backwardness, defined as a lack of social and economic progress, is the true source of terrorism, and the focus should be on combating these root causes to achieve lasting peace and security.
Themes
TerrorismViolenceBackwardnessPeaceForce
In practice
Example use cases
In a panel discussion on global security, this quote can highlight the importance of addressing root causes rather than relying on military solutions.
More from Mikhail Gorbachev
All quotes βGentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal changes in the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep.
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The soviet people want full-blooded and unconditional democracy.
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To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals.
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New approaches are needed, new orientations in both thought and action. We must make the transition to a new civilization...We are talking of a transition toward a new civilization. No one knows what it will be like. What is important is to orient in that direction... I am convinced that a new civilization will inevitably take on certain features that are characteristic of, or inherent in, the socialist ideal.
Mikhail GorbachevRead
According to Lenin, socialism and democracy are indivisible.... The essence of perestroika lies in the fact that it unites socialism with democracy and revives the Leninist concept of socialist construction both in theory and in practice. We want more socialism and, therefore, more democracy.
Mikhail GorbachevRead
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