Apologia for my argument in favor of The P.R.C, by: Andrew Taylor

There were different forces with different subjective intentions protesting at Tiananmen Sq. Some were pro-democracy, some were seeking economic changes, and some were anti-revolutionary.

The backdrop to Tiananmen Sq is crucial in forming an understanding of what was at stake. Gorbachev and his crew had an accord with Reagan, Thatcher and Kohl to sever Soviet support to the socialist nations and the national-liberation movements (including the African National Congress in which cause I was working for.)

Gorbachev's visit to China was seen by elements in China and the west as an opportunity both for democratic protest and for a campaign to do to the PRC what was being done in E Europe. The protest was taking on if not a subjectively anti-PRC character, an objectively perilous character given the international betrayal of socialism.

I am very glad The People's Republic of China exists in 2009 and did not become another trophy on the wall of the director of the CIA.

Those of you who support Trotsky - tell me, what arguments do you use or read to put in historical context his orders to attack the soldiers, sailors and civilians of Kronstadt ? Those of you who support the Victory of the Allies over Hitler fascism in WW2 -- what arguments do you use to justify the vengeful bombing of the German civilian population or other atrocities that helped demoralise the Axis? For those of you who are small d democrats and believe in the French Revolution's necessity: do you have an argument to explain the execution of men, women, and children of the Nobility and the counter-Revolution? And my good American friend,what is the justice in the terror set loose on brothers and cousins by American colonial revolutionary Snipers?

Socialists and democrats - with the honourable exception of communitarian Mennonite/Hutterite Anabaptist pacifists -- have cases in which they view killing as a tragic necessity. Any non-pacifist who denies this either hasn't thought through their ideology carefully, or is a hypocrite.

One of the joys of never having exercised power and of always having occupied an unbroken, purist oppositional role,is the illusion of innocence.

Here is what Berthold Brecht said:

"You can only help one of your luckless brothers by trampling down a dozen others."