The violent protests in Ukraine have spread beyond the capital of Kiev. The city appears more like a war zone and we are watching a revolution in action. Make no mistake, this is the arrogance of a political administration that has shown it is willing to killing its own people to retain power. The protesters are demanding immediate elections, the resignation of the President Viktor Yanukovych, and a repeal of the anti-protesting laws he just enacted. Effectively, Yanukovych has demonstrated that he is ruthless and is completely out of touch with reality.
The governor of Lviv, in the west, found his offices stormed and he was forced to sign his resignation by protesters. This is about political corruption in Ukraine that is a beacon to the world of what is likely to come. Make no doubt about it, every government is watching this in horror for this revolution is not with guns, but with courage and using whatever means is available. Gasoline proves to be a formidable weapon when the people are stripped of arms. The political damage so far has made this a revolution complete. There is no going back to a normal life in Ukraine. Either Yanukovych resigns, or there will be civil war.
Behind closed doors, governments are watching how they themselves will be treated one day and how to defend against the people. The smart ones are starting to realize you cannot simply bully the people all of the time.
One primary difference between former Communist countries and the West is critical to understand. BECAUSE they have no social nets, the people do not trust nor rely upon government. In the West, people depend on government for everything. In Ukraine, they can grow their own food and family units still take care of all members. In the West, the downside of socialism is that the children have not planned to take care of parents for that was the State’s job. Socialism has endorsed the me-me-me culture and that is the weakness for there is no self-reliance and society has been totally dependent. The risks in the West are actually far greater.
