Lessons from the Soviet Union
Thanksgiving 1991 was like no other I have ever experienced. A handful of students and I were touring the Soviet Union. For our celebration we chose McDonald’s in Moscow just outside of Red Square. We had seen images of 5,000 people lining up to eat at that same McDonald’s when it opened a year earlier. When we visited, there was no one in line waiting to be served. There was nearly one employee for every customer in the restaurant.
The Soviet citizens outside that McDonald’s had a much different experience. In hindsight, so many signs of a decaying empire were evident. The vibrant black market, Soviet soldiers selling parts of their uniforms for hard currencies, the long lines of people waiting for insufficient food supplies, and a complete absence of joy or happiness told a story of a superpower riddled with corruption, a lack of trust, a flawed economy that favored only a few, and a voiceless citizenry.
While our group attended world-class ballets, toured the Hermitage Museum and Kremlin, and stayed in luxurious accommodations, the Soviet Union – the adversary I had been conditioned to fear my entire life was on life support.
History tells us that superpowers rise and fall. Never did I think I would have a first-hand account of an empire falling.
A month after our trip, it became official. The Soviet Union, conceived from the violence of the Bolshevik Revolution and born in 1922, passed away rather peacefully on December 26, 1991. This country of iron-fisted rulers like Lenin and Stalin and Khrushchev and Brezhnev was no more. For the first time in the lives of the more than 250 million people, there was a promise of freedom.
All the signals were in plain sight. The Berlin Wall had fallen in November of 1989 beginning the liberation of the Soviet satellite states, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to peacefully secede, and there was a failed coup attempt in August 1991. Regardless of these indications, I was certain the Soviet Union would easily outlive me.
For a young, knowledge-thirsty student, witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union provided an important lesson about impermanence.
People, companies, countries – even superpowers – are impermanent. Permanence isn’t the goal.
Rather, healthy longevity should be sought.
Very little about how the Soviet Union was designed and operated had healthy longevity in mind. The Soviet Empire lasted just 68 years – about the life expectancy of a Soviet citizen at the time.
Three decades have passed since that Thanksgiving dinner in McDonald’s. The world is nearly unrecognizable from 1991. During the first of those decades much of the world experienced incredible peace and prosperity starting the transition out of extreme poverty for well over a billion people. The second decade saw a war on terrorism, the rise of China, and economic uncertainty not seen in 75 years. The third decade has seen China grow into a superpower, an unprecedented development and reliance on technology, climate crisis, a global pandemic, and a divided America.
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Impermanence, impermanence, impermanence.
This year the United States celebrated 245 years of independence. That is about the life expectancy of three modern-day Americans. The last two years of our history have been among the most turbulent.
Many Americans have taken our democracy for granted thinking it is permanent. It isn’t. Others believe it no longer best serves its people. I have traveled the world and experienced just about every kind of government system. I wouldn’t trade ours for any other kind. We just have to remember ours requires constant attention from an engaged citizenry willing to debate, fight, disagree, compromise, and move forward united.
We do share some similarities with the Soviet Union as it was on the verge of collapse.
We lack trust in our governments, institutions, and in each other. Our economy is rewarding a few really well. Yes, many of us still enjoy great comfort and wealth. However, far too many are stuck in cycles of inequality that extend far beyond wealth into healthcare, education, nutrition, and dignity.
Despite these similarities, I don’t see them as signals of the demise of our democracy or our country. I’m quite optimistic about the potential of healthy longevity for America. In fact, I believe it will long outlive me. If we can correct some of our flaws, hopefully it will outlive my children and provide them with even more incredible opportunities than it has given me.
What I know for sure is that fixing the flaws we have is not the work of one person or one party. It is the work of everyday citizens. If we choose to work together instead of vilifying each other, there is very little we can’t repair. I like to think three decades from today your children and mine will be enjoying the healthy longevity I have experienced since that Thanksgiving in Moscow.
12 Geniuses explores the trends shaping the way we live and work. In Season Four of our podcast, we had Bill Doherty, co-founder of Braver Angels, join the show to talk about how Americans can repair our political divisions. The Braver Angels methodology is helping Americans have productive conversations among people with differing political views.
Season Six of 12 Geniuses will explore the theme of Leadership. Episodes will be available starting in January 2022.
Entrepreneur, Innovation Enthusiast, Philanthropist, Mentor
3 年We should talk at one point. I have experienced the topic you covered first hand as i visited the Soviet Union few times during its last years. But I also lived through, and experienced a country that went into a civil war and turned from one of the best in the world to one of the poorest and most devastated (Lebanon) AND I SEE SO MANY SIMILARITIES between the rhetoric of politicians in Lebanon prior to the civil war, and those in the US in the last 2 years. It is almost Deja Vu and it scares me. I hope some of us can be courageous enough to stand up to these politicians, on all sides, and stop them from destroying the best country in the world.
Innovation never stops! Fundamentals trump rote learning! Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Analytics Leader.
3 年Good experience. However, it is not exactly clear the actual lessons learnt, other than "lesson in impermanence"! It would haver been more informative if he listed the lessons learnt, the signals that leads to those lessons and finally why he thinks those same signals will not affect USA the same way. After all, his "Regardless of these indications, I was certain the Soviet Union would easily outlive me." shows that he has been wrong before! I would certainly like to know what has changed?
Delivering Unparalleled Guidance/Clarity
3 年Well put, Don - I hope you're right. This is indeed a perilous time for democracy in America...
President at Colorado Credit Union
3 年Well done Don, I really appreciate the insight and couldn’t agree with you more.
Chief Scientific Officer at Glucotrack Inc (Nasdaq: GCTK), CEO of Tapsak Enterprises LLC
3 年Well said Don. Your story brings back great memories for me. I remember that same semester (and thanksgiving) at St Cloud State University well. We were roommates that year in an off campus apartment, but you spent the semester abroad. Because of that I met an amazing exchange student from Germany, and also my wife to be (married in ‘93). I share your sentiment that the future is brighter than many would portray it. People are resilient and opportunities abound in our country that simply do not exist (for a variety of reasons) in other nations. I hope that you and your podcast listeners had a very Merry Christmas and will enjoy a Happy New Year.