Some elements of the American left have committed a grievous error, both morally and strategically, in their failure to enthusiastically support the momentous pro-democracy movement in the Ukraine. After more than three centuries of subjugation under Russian rule--first under the czars and then under the communists--followed by a dozen years of independence under corrupt and autocratic rule, the Ukrainian people appear to be on the verge of a new era of freedom. This development is significant, given that--with a population and land mass comparable to France, rich in minerals, fertile farmland, and modern industry--a democratic Ukraine could become a pivotal, independent player in European and international affairs. But rather than embracing this inspiring triumph of the human spirit against authoritarianism and repression, much of the left media has focused instead upon the opposition's shortcomings and on the double standards and questionable motivations of the Bush administration's support for the movement. Although these concerns are not without merit, they miss the fact that we are witnessing one of the most notable popular democratic uprisings in history. Furthermore, the left's lukewarm response has given both the right and the mainstream media an opportunity to brand the entire progressive community with allegations that we oppose freedom and democracy.
Stephen Zunes is a professor of politics and chair of the Peace & Justice Studies Program at the University of San Francisco and the Middle East editor for Foreign Policy In Focus (http://www.fpif.org). He is the principal editor of Nonviolent Social Movements (Blackwell Publishers, 1999).
The complete text is available online at http://www.fpif.org/papers/ ukraine2004.html
-- Michael Pugliese