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One final point on this subject: it sometimes seems to me that some in the West pretend to be more enthusiastic about German unification than they really are. They even hope to use us to put a brake on unification, so that we will get the blame and end up at loggerheads with the Germans.
Q. In the wake of the elections in Eastern Europe, why do you believe so many citizens who have experienced communism for four decades now seem to be rejecting that philosophy and political system?
A. Well, they don't just "seem" to be rejecting that system -- they are rejecting it. But what they are rejecting is the lack of freedom; they're rejecting a system that has done violence to their national character and national rights; they're rejecting ossified ways of thinking. When a society breaks dramatically with the past, when former idols and heroes are overthrown, it's like a dust storm. It's difficult to see what will emerge in the end. I'm convinced that the radical changes in Central and Eastern Europe in no way signal "the collapse of socialism." Genuine socialist values will not sink into oblivion. Even in the present environment of turbulent change they assert their right to exist.
I believe our relations with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe will undoubtedly become richer, more honest and more substantial -- to the benefit of us all.
Q. What is your vision of the next century and of the role of the Soviet Union in it?
A. What the 21st century will be like depends on whether we learn the lessons of the 20th century and avoid repeating its worst mistakes. In my view, one of the principal lessons is that the end, no matter how noble and attractive it may seem, never justifies indiscriminate means. On the contrary, the means that we can choose, in the final analysis, either help us to reach our goal, or distort that goal, or lead us in the wrong direction altogether. For example, it would be disastrous if we began to renew our entire system of social relations by acting like a bull in a china shop.
Another lesson we should have learned has to do with the fate of the socialist idea. In the 20th century socialism has gained millions of supporters. It has become a powerful factor in the ideological and political debate, contributing to social and political progress in many countries. Nowhere, however, has the socialist idea been adequately put into practice. Socialism is not an artificial model that can be imposed on society. Any attempt to make people live, so to speak, according to a timetable is not just a utopian fallacy -- it can lead to intolerance and violence.
Back at the time of the 1917 Revolution, there was a slogan to the effect that socialism is the vital and creative endeavor of the masses. Only now are we beginning to understand the real meaning of those words. Only through democratization and glasnost are we finally involving the individual and his talents in a way that is socially creative.
As we approach the end of the 20th century, we must recognize that we are one civilization. This simple but important truth should tell us a great deal about international politics and international relations. There must be a balance of interests; otherwise new upheavals await us. To accept the idea of mutual security means abandoning the idea of "world leadership," which implies supremacy over others.