After coming to power, the Russian Bolsheviks waged a long struggle against the “not yet eliminated” (недобитые) elements. Notably, this was not about the “White Guards”—the armed struggle, the Civil War, had ended in 1923. Yet afterward it “turned out” that those who were supposed to be destroyed had not been fully eliminated, and the fight against these hostile elements continued—both through large-scale repression and through rhetoric and propaganda. Joseph Stalin even had a theory (quite absurd) that as socialism develops, class contradictions intensify. In reality, there was neither socialism, nor its development, nor class contradictions.
One of the main targets in the struggle against these “elements” was the “kulaks”—property-owning peasants who had achieved something through their own labor, whereas the Bolsheviks needed everyone to be dependent on the state. The second target was the intelligentsia—in a broad sense: independent thinking, any value system whatsoever (even a communist one).
And here I see parallels with today’s Armenia. In the role of the not-yet-eliminated “White Guards” appear the “former ones.” This concept has long gone beyond its purely practical meaning and now signifies something entirely different—not those who once held positions, but those who do not think like the Civil Contract party and its supporters.
And in this case as well, anyone who carries a value system must be “finally eliminated” as a “former” (fortunately not physically—those times have passed). What is a value system? I believe it is something that is not negotiable. Naturally, this may differ from person to person, but for nations—Armenians included—it is usually tied to history and symbols.
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Values, ultimately, are conceptions of the boundary between good and evil. A pie, no matter how delicious, does not provide such an understanding. A state, yes, can. But only as a tool serving people, their needs (including national aspirations)—not as a system serving the insane ambitions of a number-one ruler. Not as a pre-election badge.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
