Stalin Leads “Name of Russia Contest”

According to a poll of Brits in 2002, Winston Churchill was the greatest Briton ever. Most Americans in a similar poll selected a second rate actor named Ronald Reagan as the greatest American who ever lived (Ben Franklin actually was). Now, the Moscow-based TV channel Rossiya is running the "Name of Russia" contest to determine the one Russian from history who serves as a national symbol and the nation's biggest hero. The original field of 500 was reduced to 50 and, in September, will be whittled down to 12. The final result is due in December. And right now, Joseph Stalin is leading the pack.

Yes, Uncle Joe Stalin, the second biggest mass murderer in history (Mao had it easy as there were more Chinese for him to kill in the first place), could be the symbol of Russia as chosen by ordinary Russians. And he wasn’t even Russian; he was Georgian (but not of the Jimmy Carter variety). Although to be fair, Catherine the Great is in the top 50 as well, and she was German.

Second on the list is Tsar Nicholas II, whose big contribution to Russia was going to war over Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination. Hell, he wasn’t even close to Peter the Great (ruthless fellow, but he did build St. Petersburg and dragged Russia into the 18th century, at least part way). Or his grandfather, Alexander II who freed the serfs a couple of years before Abraham Lincoln freed America’s slaves. Ivan the Terrible could at least get credit for founding modern Russia; Little Nicky lost it.

Third is Vladimir Lenin. What country would choose a balding yahoo like that? Consider a moment the names Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Pushkin, or Nureyev. Comrade Lenin hasn’t a patch on that foursome – no literary chops and he couldn’t dance a lick. What about Andrei Sakharov? Could Comrade Lenin do quantum physics? One bright spot on the list is Yuri Gagarin, the first man is space. He was undoubtedly brave, a true patriot, and didn’t execute his rivals. Another is Vladimir Vysotsky, sort of a Russian Bob Dylan, with a voice just as crappy.

The good news is that this is an internet based election (2.4 million votes have been cast). One commentator noted that 6% of Russia has access to the internet, 54% of those with access live in Moscow or St. Petersburg, and multiple votes in the constare permitted. So, whoever wins it won’t really be a reflection on one’s Russian friends. It's just another rigged election.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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