“The elite raised by colonists is the first enemy of its people.” This idea was expressed by Mahatma Gandhi by putting a watershed between its citizens fighting for the independence. Sounds pretty nice but for a person receiving an education of a lawyer in London is quite controversial. In other words, he – Gandhi – could not stay apart from cultural and civilization influence of the colonialists. They are an integral part of metropolitan political influence. Another question that reasonable people when such an opportunity arises are trying to get rid of this political influence.
After 1965, the party and intellectual elite of the Soviet Armenia being educated, yes, by the colonialists, began however to raise our national problems. Certainly, it was done by the permission of Moscow and within the boundaries lined by the Center. (Those individuals who were coming out of the boundaries in honor to them were brutally persecuted by the Soviet authorities). However, those who without opposing the rules of the Soviet game, the people, however, were flashing positive charges purely in terms of national thinking are worthy of nice words. No need to list these artists, scientists, party employees (including of course the first leaders of the republic), the names are known to everyone and the historians, I think, will pay them what they deserve.
With this elite, we reached the years of 1988 and it turned out that the elite fully educated by the colonialists has already fulfilled its historical role. Many words were addressed to them, sometimes, unfair but it became clear that these people with all their merits are already “outdated.” A new generation came who were also partly raised by the same colonialists but on the other hand, realizing that they must live in a completely different state, by this-or-that intensity and success, they were trying “to be self-educated.” This is my generation whose life is “shared” between colonial and non-colonial period.
Perhaps, we will also be said good or bad things but it is not important. Importantly that we also become “outdated” slowly by slowly. Today’s 20-25-year-olds do not have this “dualism”, they do not have personal nostalgia memories, they are born and raised in an Armenian, good or bad, state. In 15 years when we go to retirement and they will be among the decision-makers, this coming next generation will be guided in the state life by entirely different new principles.
It remains for us not to disappoint our youth during our active 15 years.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
