Democracy must learn to defend itself. Mikhail Gorbachev More Quotes by Mikhail Gorbachev More Quotes From Mikhail Gorbachev History punishes those that come late to it. Mikhail Gorbachev late I think the United States is sick. It suffers from the sickness, the disease of being the victor and it needs to cure itself from this disease. Mikhail Gorbachev sick america thinking I began to feel the desire for something more; I wanted to do something to make things better. Mikhail Gorbachev desire wanted feels The market is not an invention of capitalism. It has existed for centuries. It is an invention of civilization. Mikhail Gorbachev invention century civilization The model of the consumer society is something that will one day end. My personal view is that too much consumption is wrong. Mikhail Gorbachev one-day too-much views To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals. Mikhail Gorbachev sacred humanity tree I support freedom and I support a free market economy, but it should be a socially oriented market economy. I support globalization, but it should be globalization with a human face. Mikhail Gorbachev globalization support faces It is better to discuss things, to argue and engage in polemics than make perfidious plans of mutual destruction. Mikhail Gorbachev engagement destruction arguing The phenomenon of UFOs does exist, and it must be treated seriously. Mikhail Gorbachev ufo extraterrestrial doe I believe in the cosmos. All of us are linked to the cosmos. Mikhail Gorbachev pantheism cosmos believe It seems that the most important thing about Reagan was his anti-Communism and his reputation as a hawk who saw the Soviet Union as an 'evil empire.' Mikhail Gorbachev empires important evil Imagine a country that flies into space, launches Sputniks, creates such a defense system, and it can't resolve the problem of women's pantyhose. There's no toothpaste, no soap powder, not the basic necessities of life. It was incredible and humiliating to work in such a government. Mikhail Gorbachev government space country Though representatives of many ethnic groups came together in the United States, English became their common language. Apparently, this was a natural choice. One can imagine what would have happened if members of each nation moving to the U.S. had spoken only their own tongues and refused to learn English. Mikhail Gorbachev choices together moving We could still have continued the arms race, but the arms race was pointless, and it was another reason we decided to start perestroika. It was senseless to continue to accumulate weapons. We had enough weapons to destroy life on Earth 1,000 times, and therefore it was very clear to us that the arms race could spiral out of control. A conflict could have started, as both the Americans and the Soviets realized, not out of a wrong political decision but because of a failure in the command-and-control systems. Mikhail Gorbachev command-and-control decision race We are all passengers aboard one ship, the Earth, and we must not allow it to be wrecked. There will be no second Noah's Ark. Mikhail Gorbachev ark ships earth It is my firm belief that the infinite and uncontrollable fury of nuclear weapons should never be held in the hands of any mere mortal ever again, for any reason. Mikhail Gorbachev nuclear-disarmament weapons hands With Yeltsin, the Soviet Union broke apart, the country was totally mismanaged, the constitution was not respected by the regions of Russia. The army, education and health systems collapsed. People in the West quietly applauded, dancing with and around Yeltsin. I conclude therefore that we should not pay too much attention to what the West is saying. Mikhail Gorbachev russia army country You are fortunate to live here. If I were your President, I would levy a tax on you for living in San Francisco! Mikhail Gorbachev bay-area san-francisco president Sometimes its difficult to accept, to recognise ones own mistakes, but one must do it. I was guilty of overconfidence and arrogance, and I was punished for that. Mikhail Gorbachev arrogance mistake sometimes Montreal, this wonderful town… Pearl of Canada, Pearl of the world. Mikhail Gorbachev canada pearls world
