I listened in amazement to the story of how the Soviet Union had solved the problems of economic inequality among the various nationalities in a period of 20 years. This accomplishment was all the more breathtaking in view of the fact that many of these nationalities had been nomadic tribes which had not even reached the feudal stage of social development. Many had no written language and lived at a social level characteristic of about 1000 A.D. The professors were somewhat embarrassed that it had taken so long to achieve these results. But, thought I, if within 20 years after the establishment of a socialist America, [African-Americans ]can erase the ill effects of 300 years of persecution and oppression, I, for one, would be highly satisfied. The Soviet achievement was all the more remarkable because it was accomplished during a period which included counter-revolution, civil war and World War II. Furthermore, during these years the Soviet Union had to depend entirely on its own resources.
Soviet successes in promoting economic equality of different peoples have been accompanied by achievements of equal magnitude in the sphere of education. Of these, Professor G. Glezerman writes: "An educational newspaper estimated in 1906 that it would take at least 4,600 years to wipe out illiteracy among the Central Asian peoples. According to the most optimistic estimate, it said, the Tajiks, if they survived as a people, could expect to be literate in the year 6500. The Soviet State, however, wiped out illiteracy in the Central Asian Republics in two decades."
Before the revolution Bashkira's 198 schools were run entirely by priests. Today the Republic has 5,000 elementary and secondary schools, 60 specialized secondary schools, seven colleges and a university. One out of every four inhabitants is engaged in some form of study. Bashkira has 20 research institutes. Employed in its educational and research establishments are 158,000 specialists, including 54 holding the degree of doctor of science and 777 candidates of science. Before the revolution Bashkira did not even have an alphabet or literary language of its own. Today it publishes about 500 books annually, in a total printing of 3,000,000 copies. It has seven professional theaters, 3,000 cultural recreation centers and 2,000 libraries.
Soviet society is not perfect. Old habits are not easily changed; and, even after many years of Soviet power, many ideological problems remain. But only a utopian dreamer or a peddler of dishonest ideas would attempt to blow up minor defects out of all proportion to their place in the totality.
Whatever ideological problems in regard to racial or national chauvinism the Communist Party and the Soviet government have yet to overcome, the central fact is that the Soviet people have shown the world that racism is not inherent in man. They have shown that once the exploiting classes are removed from power, once exploitation is abolished, the various races of mankind can live in peace.
Ghetto Rebellion To Black Liberation by Claude M. Lightfoot (Pages.146-147, 149, 151)
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