Gorbachev's former classmate
discusses Soviet leader's ideas
By B.J. Thomsen
Of the Emerald
If Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gor
bachev’s plan to revive the Soviet economy is to
work, he must have an efficient and effective
bureaucracy, said Alexander Riasanovsky, a
University graduate.
But Gorbachev’s plan is hurting the
bureaucracy responsible for implementing the
plan, Riasanovsky said during a lecture entitled
“Gorbachev’s Dilemma of Power’’ on Thursday.
Gorbachev is applying pressure from the top
for better efficiency, and as more computer
technology is implemented into the system,
bureaucratic jobs will be eliminated, Raisanovsky
explained.
Gorbachev was a classmate of Riasanovsky’s
when they attended Moscow State University in
the Soviet Union. A Rhodes Scholar currently
teaching Russian History at the University of Pen
nsylvania, he has taught at Swarthmore.
Princeton and Harvard Universities.
According to Riasanovsky, Gorbachev is
similar in many ways to Russian revolutionary
Vladimir Lenin in that they are both graduates of
Moscow State University and are the only leaders
of the party who have had a formal college educa
tion. Gorbachev is trying to make the Soviet
system more efficient and streamlined as I^nin
did, he added.
Like Lenin, Gorbachev sees the need for an
internal watchdog to keep the the Soviet system
efficient and uncorrupt, he said. I>enin saw the
labor union as the watchdog of the revolution, but
Gorbachev sees this task as better performed by
the “intelligentsia” or educated.
“He (Gorbachev) is contemplating putting
more and more acreage into private use,” to in
crease efficiency, he said, and noted that
although precise figures are not available, bet
ween “4 to 6 percent of land being farmed in the
Soviet Russia is now being farmed by peasants.”
The peasants work on collective farms, but
they have small plots of their own. Whatever they
grow in these plots, they are allowed to sell on the
free peasant market, he said. This tiny percentage
of peasant-controlled land produces more than
half the entire country’s agricultural output, he
added.
Alexander Riasanovsky
It is this tremendously efficient output that
Gorbachev hopes to harness by putting more land
under private control, Kiasanovsky said.
The land controlled by the peasants is out of
bureaucratic control, he said, and if that percen
tage is increased, as Gorbachev would like, many
of the bureaucrats may be phased out of a job or be
retired early, he said. This is not a popular idea
among bureaucrats and will be a problem for Gor
bachev, he said.
He noted that being phased out of a job may
not Ik? so bad under the present system, consider
ing that Lenin killed bureaucrats that could not
adapt to his system.
★ COPIES*
Krazy Kats
Try Us!
884 East 13th st.
Dr1(mkin(; And
driving
CAN KILL
A FRIENDSHIP
WANTED:
(preferably alive!)
pftflcncum
/TUD€NT/
WANTED FOR:
DESCRIPTION:
FAVORITE
HANGOUTS:
PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE IN
THE HEALTH EDUCATION
CENTER (Student Health
Center) 1 or more credit hours.
Enthusiastic, interested in health
promotion.
Just about anywhere, but
notoriously found on running
trails, in aeiobic classes, in
health food stores, etc.
REWARDS: MANY! Hands-on experience in
health education, meeting others
with similar enthusiasm, and
more!
IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION LEADING TO THE
WHEREABOUTS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS,
CONTACT:
JEFF THOMAS, KATE SCHUYLER OR LIZ GOEKE
at the
Lifestyle Planning Program
686-4401
I;
770 Willamette
686-1692
Perm
Special
with Jill
*39.95
(Haircut Included)
Long hair slightly more
expires 5/15/87
Julia Duffy
Spencer Tracy
Danny DeVito
American
Academy of
Dramatic
Arts
Over 100 years of training actors
John James
Robert Rectfcxd
Auditions in
Portland
May 4
Founded in 1884. the
Academy has trained
more professional actors
than any other school
or college in America
Academy alumni have
won nominations for
80 Oscars. 62 Tonys and
101 Emmys.
For Admission to Study
at the Academy in
California or New York
Auditions by Appointment
ONLY - Call Now Foe
Information Toll Free
(800)247-7303
Monday thru Friday —
10 00 a m. to 5:00 p m
UOBookstore
CASH
FOR BOOKS
Nebraska Book Co.,
Wholesale Book Buyers
will be here
FINALS WEEK
Mar. 13th-21st
20% OFF UO Bookstore
coupon per buyback
customer this week only.
TEXTBOOK BUYBACK
EVERYDAY
Now is the best time
to sell your books back.
Come in early for fast service.
Your store since 1920
uo
BOOKSTORE
13th & Kincaid
M F 7 30 5 30
SAT 10 00 4 00
686 4331