Final Word from Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Tweeten

Those searching for a historical parallel to today's crisis are quick to look to the 1930s, but Russia of 1917 also provides an intriguing comparison. In the first Russian revolution of that year, the monarchy was overthrown, because the tsar had lost the trust of the people. It was due in part to his failures at war, but also because of widespread government corruption, deep economic decline, infrastructure in desperate need of modernization, and a controversial figure who enjoyed undue influence over the dynasty. In what might be called Russia's Bush year, the monarchy was swept from power by a popular uprising. Alexander Kerensky, who led the second provisional government that came out of that Feb. revolution, said that people commonly fail to understand the events occurring before them or to perceive the causation and connection of these events. If Russians had understood Lenin's true intentions in the months leading up the Oct. revolution, Kerensky suggested, there might have been only one Russian revolution in 1917.[Czech Republic Nicholas II Rasputin Dick Cheney Romanov]