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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1983)
Bureaucracy may crush Soviets By Doug Nash Of th* Emerald While Kremlin observers concentrate most of their attention on each and every whim of the Soviet head of state, the country may crumble beneath the weight of a pon derous bureaucratic system, a political scientist said Friday. Speaking on "Leadership Succession in Communist Societies,” University of Michi gan Prof Alfred Meyer said, "Too much attention is placed on the top leader.” Meyer said even the strongest leader was unable to overcome the problems of con trolling as large a country as the Soviet Union. "One could argue that (Josef) Stalin never won over the peasantry I think we've overestimated Stalin's power," Meyer said Western analysts invariably see a bitter power struggle when a Soviet leader dies Actually, the ascension to a leadership position isn't so bitter. “It’s more useful to see him (the new leader) as a delegate of his peers" rather than a victorious rival, said Meyer. This pattern has remained consistent throughout Soviet history, beginning with Stalin’s ouster of the Leninist Leon Trotsky and continuing to the present with the “quite remarkable” succession of Yuri An dropov after Leonid Brezhnev’s death, he said. The speed and smoothness of An dropov’s ascendancy to power “suggests that it was probably decided in advance,’’ Meyer said. Because of his age, the 68-year-old An dropov probably won’t have time to be remembered in the annals of greatness, but many communist leaders — including Mao Tse-tung, Tito, Lenin and Stalin — can be considered great leaders, Meyer said. "A surprisingly large proportion of the people to whom historians will attribute greatness will be communists,” he said. But great does not always mean good, he added. Those attributes history traditionally applies to the word “greatness” usually include success in warfare, state-building and revolution, which aren’t necessarily humanitarian efforts, Meyer said. Even Stalin, who Meyer called “one of the most cruel tyrants of the 20th century," may be considered a great leader by future generations because of his expertise at state-building ‘‘Stalin is now emerging as a great man," he said. Great leaders are invariably ruthless, single-minded tyrants willing to sacrifice millions of lives, he said ‘‘All the great leaders in history have in some sense been monsters," Meyer said “To be ruled by a great leader seems to be a curse " It’s ironic that so many communist leaders are great, because in its original form, Marxism demeaned leadership, Meyer said. No great leaders have followed Stalin because recent heads of state have had to deal with the uncontrollable bureaucracy, also a Marxian irony, Meyer said. Bu reaucracy, according to Marx, proves a barrier to society's productive forces The Soviet system, then, stifles the country's own growth. "The bureaucracy appears likely to become an obstacle for further develop ment of Soviet forces," Meyer said. IFC reduces ODE, ASUO budgets By Richard Burr CM the Emerald The Incidental Fee Committee cut the ASUO Executive budget 11 percent in a series of reductions made at Friday budget hearings. The IFC approved a preliminary $58,866 budget for the president’s office. Most of the cut resulted from a 17 percent decrease in stipends that the ASUO Executive recom mended The committee did not approve a requested $12,000 allocation for a program advertising publication. The president’s office requested the IFC cut $10,000 from the Oregon Daily Emerald’s budget to fund such a publication in the executive's bud get. The Emerald has not covered ASUO funded programs adequately, said David Gibson, ASUO vice president for admini stration and finance. Many students are unaware of programs because of limited coverage, he said. The IFC delayed action on funding a program advertising budget for the ASUO until today's hearings. The committee cut the Emerald’s sub scription subsidy to $77,900, a 5 percent decrease from this year’s $82,000 sub scription. IFC member Mark Spence said the cut is a compromise reflecting a projected enrollment decline and a concern that the University needs more program information. The cut is “too stiff" in light of a $10,000 decrease the committee approved last year, Emerald Editor Harry Esteve said. Such cuts make it tough not to increase advertising prices, he said. The ASUO Executive recommended the subscription be contingent on the Emerald Board of Directors changing the two-year terms of the ASUO student representatives to one year. In a 5-1 vote, the IFC approved funding the Emerald under its current board bylaws. The committee also cut the Student Uni versity Affairs Board budget 24 percent Cuts in stipends for SIJAB members will reduce this year’s $9,412 allocation to $7,216. The IFC allocated the offices of the Ex ecutive Coordinator and Student Advocacy $24,274, a 16 percent cut from this year’s $28,811 budget. The offices provide consulting services to the ASUO president and represent students charged with violating the student conduct code. Peace Corps representatives will be on campus February 28th through March 3rd looking for talented people to fill rewarding positions all over the world. Maybe you can fill the space. Watch for the Peace Corps information table in the EMG. Feb. 28 - Mar. 3 Tables in the EMG, 9:00-3:00 Feb. 28 Group meeting Room 101 EMG Mar 1 Film, “Toughest Job” EMG Forum Room 4:00-5:00 Mar. 2-3 Interviews, 246 Susan Campbell Hall call 686-3235 for appointment MEXICAN CUISINE Fiesta Hours TODAY Sun. — Fri. 2-5 p.m. Sun. — Thuns. ilO p.m. Featuring Mission Munchie Madness Menu 610 E. Broadway, Eugene 686-8226 (TACO) 13th & Kincaid Mon Fri 7:30-5.30 Sat 10:00-3:00 BOOKSTORE. Supplies 886-4331 N OVERNIGHT PHOTO PROCESSING color prints only In by 2:30 p.m. Out by noon FILM SPECIALS KODAK Black & White film 135-36 reg. $2.59 NOW *2.19 AH film limited to stock on hand - Limit 6 rolls per customer Mixrotumn PX135-36 ' $2.291 One Comm" *•» MmMKi VMM w* d One ten* Iwm COUPON MUb.rACC.GMRANY ORDER Expires March 12. 1983 24 Exposure 041 prop— 110, 126 or 136 $3.77 ■ B 12. 1983 Exposure sod Developing print etl I36 »*?• $5 29 Expires March .2, 1983 n*Q«tlv*onty $1 99 LMtl M5 Expires March 12, 1983 Cotor Reprint* 1 From your favor tie 041 pro I 110. 12T -" 26 or 136 cotor On* Mr* nagottva 5te99c Limit 20
