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Prague's 200 days: The struggle for democracy in Czechoslovakia
274 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1969
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 23, 2013
I loved the structure of this book: 3 introductory chapters on the historic events leading up to the invasion, a chapter for each month (Jan to Aug 1968) leading up to the invasion, and 3 analytical chapters on what happened -- NOT revisionist drivel, but an objective view of the illegal, immoral, and ill-fated attack on Czechoslovak sovereignty. The book was published in 1969, well after the incident, by a US expert and reporter on Soviet affairs. He actually managed to just present the evil-incarnate among the Kremlinites and the Quislings without REALLY attacking them. Masterful writing. Insightful accounts of the good people, too.
His explanation of the Brezhnev Doctrine made me think: just substitute capitalist for socialist and BINGO: the Bush/Obama Doctrine of invasion! The absurdity of the politics is incredible. It did make me realize I have neither the cunning nor the stomach for office, not even as an office drone or booty-on-the-side for some self-hating, gay Republican, no matter how long his hair or how cute. (Why are all the closet queers who get caught Republicans?)
I agree with his statement:
Democratic socialism is meaningless without a broad range of freedoms for the people. If the state wants to create democratic socialism, it cannot dole out only a little freedom.
As someone who IS a due paying member of the Socialist Party USA I could not agree more. Incentives for efficiency? Sure. Incentives for hard work? Sure! Different pay for different jobs and skills? Sure!
People working full time and still below the poverty line? Uh, no! People losing their homes through fraudulent banking practices? Uh, no! People dying from lack of access to health care? Uh, no! An income gap of 375 TIMES between average worker and CEO? Uh, no! Unequal access to university education? Uh, no! I could go on but you would stop. Color me Pinko or Green. I have no illusions that Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Mao, Castro, etc., approached ANYTHING near the vision of Marx and Engels; nor, for that matter, does Putin.
Power to da friggin people, and, of course, Good Soldier Schweik.
His explanation of the Brezhnev Doctrine made me think: just substitute capitalist for socialist and BINGO: the Bush/Obama Doctrine of invasion! The absurdity of the politics is incredible. It did make me realize I have neither the cunning nor the stomach for office, not even as an office drone or booty-on-the-side for some self-hating, gay Republican, no matter how long his hair or how cute. (Why are all the closet queers who get caught Republicans?)
I agree with his statement:
Democratic socialism is meaningless without a broad range of freedoms for the people. If the state wants to create democratic socialism, it cannot dole out only a little freedom.
As someone who IS a due paying member of the Socialist Party USA I could not agree more. Incentives for efficiency? Sure. Incentives for hard work? Sure! Different pay for different jobs and skills? Sure!
People working full time and still below the poverty line? Uh, no! People losing their homes through fraudulent banking practices? Uh, no! People dying from lack of access to health care? Uh, no! An income gap of 375 TIMES between average worker and CEO? Uh, no! Unequal access to university education? Uh, no! I could go on but you would stop. Color me Pinko or Green. I have no illusions that Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Mao, Castro, etc., approached ANYTHING near the vision of Marx and Engels; nor, for that matter, does Putin.
Power to da friggin people, and, of course, Good Soldier Schweik.
July 26, 2012
This was a basic resource for my novel, A Time to Cast Away Stones. Just as Daniel Singer's Prelude to Revolution, France in May 1968 (N.Y., Hill and Wang, 1970) was my go-to scholarly work for info about the French part of my story, this book by Schwartz was my go-to scholarly work for the Czechoslovak part of my story.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews