Posted on 12/02/2007 7:02:52 AM PST by JACKRUSSELL
Mart Laar, two-time Prime Minister of Estonia, has been credited with lifting the small Baltic nation out of economic and social collapse under communism to becoming a prosperous, free society.
Currently a member of the Estonian Parliament, Laar first became Prime Minister of Estonia at age 32. During his tenure from 1992-1994, he initiated sweeping economic reforms that included unilateral free trade, privatization, and the introduction of the world's first flat tax.
Laar was re-elected in 1999 and served until 2002. Known as the Baltic Tiger, in the past two decades Estonia has experienced unprecedented economic growth and has dramatically reduced poverty and inequality. It is also a leader in technology development, and is the home of the Internet phone service, Skype.
In a recent interview with Epoch Times reporter and NTDTV correspondent Cathy Liu, Laar talked about the violent nature of communism and the lack of human rights in China, the world's largest communist state.
NTDTV: Why is it that people have suffered so much under communism?
Laar: From 1940 on, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union, so I was born in an occupied country, a communist country, which meant for us total destruction. We lost nearly 20 per cent of our population as a result of the occupation. Our economy and our environment were destroyed after this. We gained our independence in 1991, and I was one of the first prime ministers of the free Estonia.
Totalitarian systems are based on fear and violence. With communism there is always killing, there is always injustice, there is always violence. Communism is against human nature and is a system that is not good for human beings.
Communism has been a failure in all areas of life and to understand it, one must compare communist countries with non-communist countries and see how fast they have moved and how slowly communist countries have moved. There's a very clear difference.
NTDTV: The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) has initiated a worldwide Human Rights Torch Relay to raise awareness about China's human rights record in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Do you think it can help bring about change?
Laar: I think it's necessary to have an event like this torch relay to really remind the world that the Olympics were allocated to China only with the promise that China would improve its human rights. Frankly, this hasn't happened.
In 1936, when Nazi Germany hosted the Olympics, there wasn't much protest in the world or any attempts to raise awareness of what was going on there. So I think the torch relay and its related events are very important because they really make it clear that these Olympics are being held in a country that is still communist, where innocent people are hunted and arrested, where there is no religious freedom, and where there is huge social inequality and problems with the environment.
This means that this is a country that needs our attention, and the people who are fighting for freedom and for human rights need our support. The question of different atrocities must be raised. The Communist Party is an evil force.
We must remember what has happened to China. This beautiful culture, a country with such a rich culture and history, how much of it was destroyed during communist rule—it's really one of the greatest destructions that has taken place in human civilization.
NTDTV: There's a report called "Bloody Harvest" compiled by two Canadians detailing the theft of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners to supply China's lucrative organ transplant industry. Some people find this so horrifying they don't want to believe it's true. What do you say to them?
Laar: I remember this very well when I lived under communism. It was very sad to see how the world even then ignored the same question. They said "No, no, it's overestimated, it couldn't be so bad. Such evil doesn't exist." How many people believed that the concentration camps and the holocaust existed?
I remember very well how we hoped that somebody would raise their voice in the free world to really say loudly what is happening in the Soviet communist system. We were not listened to, we were not heard for a long time.
Ronald Reagan was heavily criticized in the west when he called the Soviet Union an "evil empire." But for us it was a very positive message, and it was enormously important in encouraging people to initiate action against the dictatorship.
NTDTV: NTDTV broadcasts in China. What would you say to the Chinese people who are living under the repressive communist system?
Laar: I would tell them to have no fear. They [the Communist Party] want to make you afraid, but actually they are more scared than you. Those at the top understand that their time is coming to an end.
Once fear goes away, it changes faster than you can imagine. In Eastern Europe I have seen how the same people in one week marched in a communist demonstration, and the next week marched against the communists. In the former communist bloc countries, these changes happened faster than anybody expected them to happen. It's a miraculous feeling.
I think the time is coming when the people of China can be more happy and secure, where they will be able to have their own beliefs, their own religion, their own culture. This is enormously important.
The level of destruction that occurred in China under communist rule has been terrible. But I think that the Chinese people are strong enough to overcome even this sad period in history.
It is the obligation of countries that have broken away from communism and people in the free world to give support to those who still live under communist rule.
I hope awareness of the atrocities occurring in communist countries continues to grow, because when we ignore this it's dangerous and bad for the entire free world.
Former prime minister of Estonia and current Member of Parliament, Mart Laar, says it is the obligation of countries that have broken away from communism and people in the free world to give support to those who still live under communist rule. (NTDTV)
No, I think communism should be given just one more chance. Right, Hillary?
I wish someone would explain this to the policy makers in the Democrat party -- the DNC platform has echoed Bolshevism for decades.
Communism fails every time it’s tried. Socialism fails every time it’s tried.
Let's hope America realizes that hillary and henchmen - along with the reids/pelosies/kennedys/kerrys/ would plunge this country into decades of Communism - We need to be VERY sure to crush them NOW,
Those at the top understand that their time is coming to an end.
and these Communists here know this is their last shot for decades - it has taken this long for them to build up, infiltrating and taking over the old Democrat Party, since their big slap down when Reagan was elected.
WE defeat them this election = or prepare to live under a dictatorship.
We defeat them this time - and it will take years again for them to regroup and recoup - but they will, as the past 20-30 years of school kids have been indoctrinated from kindergarten to believe that the power comes from the top down - not the other way around. It starts right out with the subliminal phrases like "The Government" and the "workers" =
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
“Communism A Failure”
I’m shocked! Shocked I tell ya!!
The Rats could do it better if they were given a chance.
The problem with Communism? The heart of the economic problem is revealed in a simple sentence coined by the Proletariat. “We pretend to work while they pretend to pay us.” Just paraphrasing here, you understand.
Isn't he from Marklar?
If only our own leaders were as wise.
There are those in both the GOP and the DNC that need to give up their quest for more socialist usurpations of power.
Explain to whom?
After Zel and Breault (sp?) left and then Joe L - there ARE no democrats left in the party -= they are all card carrying Socialists = believe it...They know what Communism is and they intend to bring it about - you see, only "the Little People" are subject to the "killing, injustice and violence." They will sit high and mighty, ruling over all.
To 'explain' what happens under Communism to these Communists is spitting into the wind. I have heard, first hand, in a meeting I infiltrated over 25 years ago, (undercover investigative reporter in a meeting with "NO PRESS allowed") our then State Senate Majority leader, as head speaker of a state wide reorganizing committee for the Socialists after their smack down of the Reagan election = take a card out of his pocket, hold it up and say: "I, like you, am a card carrying Socialist" - and went on to say that their only hope of success was to infiltrate and take over the Democrat Party...and they laid out the strategy to do that.
They have succeeded.
Here's a couple of snippets from the "Socialist Party USA" site:
"We believe socialism and democracy are one and indivisible.
The working class is in a key and central position to fight back against the ruling capitalist class and its power. The working class is the major force worldwide that can lead the way to a socialist future - to a real radical democracy from below. The Socialist Party fights for progressive changes compatible with a socialist future. We support militant working class struggles and electoral action, independent of the capitalist controlled two-party system, to present socialist alternatives. ...
News & Campaigns
STOP THE WAR AND OCCUPATION
The Socialist Party opposed the invasion of Iraq from the start, and we continue to demand the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq.
- The Socialist Party is also a member of United for Peace & Justice and active in their anti-war work.
http://sp-usa.org/
Also see
http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.html
Even their poster boy, Murtha, who, after seeing Iraq first hand last week and saw that The Surge is working, got slapped back into line quickly by Madame Speaker and head Socialist of the Senate.
WE MUST stop referring to them as 'Democrats" Let's call them what they are: "Socialists" - (Of course, Hillary goes the step further into full blown Communism)
If by "bring it about" you mean nationalizing the means of production then I don't think this is what they intend anymore. I think even the Dems realize that this isn't going to get them the money they need to carry out their lunatic social programs. Now they want to support big business, if only so they can tax them. In that way they look a bit more like the facists than commies.
Wonderful post and quite refreshing to read, especially after following the doom and gloom out of Pat Buchanan’s new book. Free people are very inspiring, May God continue to strengthen the resolve to protect freedom everywhere it gets planted.
Well, Hillary would be the right leader to lead us into the glorious future of Marxism.
After all, Marxism is not the problem, it's the people not being lead by the right people.
< / s >
Geez! Who'd a thunk it?
It's too bad that so many here haven't yet gotten the message.
That man merely lived under communism and is therefore biased so don’t listen to him. Listen instead to the wealthy American celebrities who visit a communist country, are treated like royalty, and report that communism is a paradise. /SARCASM
seems to work very well in the american university system.
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