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The new policy of "„
„
" was introduced in an attempt to overcome the economic
stagnation by creating a dependable and effective mechanism for accelerating economic and social
progress. According to Gorbachev,  „ „
was the :

 „ 
      
„



   „  
„
   

 

„
  
„„ „ „

 „ 

„

  
„


 „  „
 „ 
 „ 


 „
 „ „


Permeating and pervading Gorby͛s philosophy of  „ „

(restructuring), is Marx͛s and
Lenin͛s Dialectic Materialism, which is adopted from Hegel͛s Dialectic Idealism. According to Hegel, Marx
and Lenin, the essence of reality is
„



According to this theory, everything tends towards perfection and begets its own contradiction;
and in the ensuing encounter and clash between the two concepts there results a richer reality or
synthesis which further generates a second antithesis and so on ʹ until the concept or reality becomes
perfect or absolute

Gorby͛s concept of perestroika is to described dialectic movement. Our present society needs
radical sweeping reforms for the better.

 „ „
„   „„





Gorbachev stresses.

He stressed the necessity of drastic, revolutionary reforms while at the same time and with the
same emphasis, he pleaded for universal peace as the only way to survival.

Gorby is not a professional philosopher or logician, and his answer are always practical,
intended for practical purposes. Thus, he hardly went beyond his net of  ,    to support his
negative contentions or stand. He could have easily parried the charge and escaped from his own net of
seeming inconsistency by pointing out:

1.? That the two concepts; peace and revolution, while admittedly adversarialcan be combined
logically without incurring inconsistency; for there is such a thing as a peaceful revolution ʹ a
concrete existential historical reality, as that exemplified in our own Edsa Revolution in 1986.

2.? That the two concepts; peace and revolutionary, are not
„

„but merely paradoxical
terms. As we have explained in the chapter 

„
 , there is a basic difference between

„

and 
„
 ; because the first signifies an absolutely irreconcilable opposition;
while the second involves only a relative and reconcilable

3.? one ͞without bullets.͟ indeed, his revolution is without the three abominable B͛s of war: bombs,
bullets, bloodshed; and by this brand of revolution ʹ bloodless, bullet less, bomb less ʹ he
became uniquely instrumental in bringing about the end of the cold war between the nuclear
superpowers,
the liberation of Eastern Europe from Soviet dominion or control by pulling out Russian troops deployed
therein by Stalin, the cessation of the armament race, the outlawing of nuclear war ʹ except strictly for
defence; preventing the building up of a nuclear arsenal in outer space; the dismantling of the past
dictatorship

converting it to democracy; the shifting from state controlled economy to free market enterprise ;
change from a long regime of relentless religious persecution to freedom of worship; the restoration
and reinshrinement of all human rights long banished from the altar of humanity by the iconoclastic
wanton violations thereof in totalitarian regimes.

m


 m




m
 
 

The same charge of ͞self contradiction͟ is levelled against Gorbachev, when he proclaimed and
still proclaims his hard adherence to Lenin͛s principles yet contradicts Lenin when he (Gorbachev)
upheld, e.g, the right of private property outlawed by Lenin. His critics also claimed that Gorby turned
his back against

Lenin when he worked for a thorough democratization of society.

 Democratization or restructuring is in perfect harmony with the law of dialectic, the law of
change for the better, upheld by Lenin himself.

Democratization itself signifies:

1.? Process,

2.? Progress,

3.? Prosperity,

4.? Happiness of man

Perestroika at present stands further improvement and change into a perhaps greater and
better perestroika in the future ʹ without striking the faintest discordant note to disturb the symphony
of the dialectic movement.

Gorbachev saw the distortions particularly the errors and defects that vitiate its implementation
and interpretation. His initial reforms began with dismantling the past dictatorship, putting an end to
the one ʹ man rule or monopoly of power concentrated in the hands of the dictator and the transferring
of

sovereignty to the   

 One main objective of Gorbachev͛s reforms was to liberate or lift the people from the quagmire
of doctrinaire and dogmatic misconceptions and interpretations into which the true original socialism of
Lenin had fallen.

Democratization signifies the change from a one ʹ man rule to the rule of the 
, the   .

Hence, pluralism is of the very essence of democracy. Other aspects of pluralism in democracy
are:

1.? 6reedom of speech and expression which always signifies diversity of views and/or opinions.

2.? It is not the case of one working as many; but of 

!„ 
 

Gorbachev appeals as fundamentally „





 „ "„ peace is universal, perennial
ʹ meant for all times, places and people. Peace is the universal constant in man, it has always been
shaky, transitory, ephemeral and illusory is because it is made to depend on human variable ʹ the
external,

shifting, accidental factors in man͛s nature and relationships, such as the varying economic, political,
social and technological conditions under which man live together.

When Gorbachev speaks of radical and profound changes in all aspects of life to bring about
true and lasting peace, he meant changes not only in the outward structure of society and also deeper
transformation in the inner nature of man.

According to him, the super colossal achievements of technology, science, economics, politics
and all human pursuits by themselves alone cannot guarantee true peace and happiness for men.

Sharing in the philosophy of Gorbachev, particularly in the necessity if inner renewal in man,
President Baclav Havel of Czechoslovakia, pleaded for a radical transformation in man, a true conversion
of heart as the only means for insuring lasting peace. ͞The salvation of our world lies in the human
heart.͟

Selfishness still reigns supreme in the human breast. Man is still imprisoned in the narrow cell of
his own ego, barred by possessiveness - ,   family, company, region, 
nation. True peace can only come with the inner moral renewal in man ʹ by uprooting selfishness and
cultivating instead, therein the virtues of the heart ʹ primarily „ # and   „„ ! 

% 


 In resolving dilemma confronting mankind, ͞live together or die ʹ together͟, Gorbachev chooses
the first alternative as any other human being would; but he also enlighten us on the very reason for this
choice, and the proper attitude in living up to this choice. Living together does not mean living in the
same place,

in the same country under the same ideology. Nor does it mean merely living in peaceful co ʹ existence
under the law of ͞live and let live.͟ It means mutual sharing of the sacrifices we may have to make, or
the sufferings we may have to undergo in this life ʹ for our own survival. Thus he elevates and ennobles
the motive

behind human solidarity by invoking the use of reason, particularly freedom.

In making the choice and living by it, we have to make use of our gift of freedom. We must live
together, not because we are „
 to do so as they only alternative but because we !to do so by
our

own free will, for our own survival.

He appeals to the universal instinct of survival, found in all living things. He also sees in man
something nobler, deeper and more fundamental, than the instinct of survival ʹ freedom. In making the
choice between living together or risking total destruction, we

have to make use of our God ʹ given gift of liberty. We must live together voluntarily sacrificing our
private interests ʹ not because we cannot choose otherwise under the circumstances but because it is
our own will to do so for our own good.

Still, there is in man, that highest and noblest power, which gorbachev could and should have
stressed and exploited further ʹ it is the most distinctive human prerogative ʹ  
#  
Earlier, we spoke of the law, ͞Live and let live,͟ now we speak of a higher and nobler law ʹ ͞Live and
love,͟ and

in its deepest meaning, ͞Love or Die͟. Thus true and lasting peace for mankind spring eternal „
„ 
 (Love or die herein means that it is not enough that we live together. It means: we
must love each other, Else We Perish).

É   
  c
 

1.? The concepts of  „ „

 freedom, love and justice are not foreign or new to 6ilipino, long
before Gorbachev , they were already conceived in the mind of Apolinario Mabini, the
philosopher of the Philippine revolution.

2.? However, Mabini͛s concept of revolution differs from that of gorbachev. Mabini speaks of
bloody and violent revolution while Gorbachev , advocates a peaceful revolution ʹ without
bullets, bombs and bloodshed.

3.? Mabini envisioned Democracy as Christian humanism founded on love and justice.