Feting the "first peasant"
Editorials hailed him as "a luminous figure, a celebrated Communist leader, a passionate patriot, wise chief of party and state." Broadcasters saluted his "creativity of exceptional value in philosophy, scientific socialism, political economy, history, education, science and culture." In other encomiums, he appeared variously as still "the first peasant among peasants" and a fellow who was "born a peasant, became a worker and is now an intellectual."
The object of all these huzzas was Rumania's diminutive dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, who turned 60 last week amid trumpetings of praise not heard in the East bloc since Stalin's day. Congratulatory...