How “thought-conformity” is being introduced in Russia

Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin was a true genius! It seems that his project of introducing “thought-conformity” in Russia, described in his The History of a Town, is finally being implemented in Putin’s domain, and incredibly fast at that. Here is just one of many reports on the subject, but it is very characteristic and telling. Moscow investigators (primarily FSB officers) who are leading a criminal investigation into the presence of “nationalist,” “Banderaite” books in the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow, are obviously working very, very hard. So hard, in fact, that they have already detected “subversive sedition” in the books which, judging by the library’s service lists, were loaned to patrons... back in 1998, and in 2000-03 as well (despite the fact that the investigation deals with alleged crimes committed in 2013-14 at the earliest).

What “enemy” publications have been discovered by the Russian investigators, then? For example, they include books by classic modern Ukrainian author Yevhen Hutsalo (1937-95), including his brilliant, well-targeted work The Horde’s Mentality (the title, I think, needs no comment). Moreover, the investigators are now carefully finding out names of specific patrons of the library who loaned Hutsalo’s books years ago.

REUTERS photo

Is it schizophrenia? Well, it would be the mildest definition of what is happening in Russia. In addition, this schizophrenia clearly resembles the purges of 1937, and it is scary. This fact – let us emphasize it again, it is just one of many – again shows the whole world to what extent a “forcible de-Stalinization” of Russia is an urgent and pressing issue. The fate of humankind likely depends on it. The only question is who (the Russians themselves? or the international community?), when (in a year, or after 5, 10, 20 years) and how will carry out this forcible de-Stalinization.