Gorbachev tutors Obama: The book says
'Perestroika' or in English, 'restructuring.'
[Novosti, Russia]
Argumenty i Facty, Russia
'Famed
Futurologist' Predicts Obama to Be America's Gorbachev
"After two years in office, he
will cease playing a significant role in American history. Obama is a
figurehead. His role will be akin to the one played by Gorbachev in our
country. … The new president will not withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and the
number of troops in Afghanistan will rise. So, in comparison to him, Bush will
seem soft and fluffy."
Translated By Yekaterina Blinova
December 31, 2008
Russia -
Argumenty i Facty - Original Article (Russian)
Russia and the world are
in for some hard times, but we'll muddle through, says famed futurologist Pavel
Sviridov.
Pavel Sviridov, head of the
Fund for Temporal Research, Analysis and Forecasting, predicted the current
crisis - eight years ago. In his book The Myth of the Age of Aquarius,
he demonstrates that human society is closely tied to cosmic rhythms and that
it develops cyclically. This has enabled him to foresee the events of
2001-2013:
"… at the end of each 12-
year cycle, periods of rapid economic growth are interrupted by war, simply
cease or are replaced by crisis … During these cycles, there are relative
improvements in the standard of living for people, although in the political
sphere harsh, authoritarian regimes are established. As a rule, throughout the
entire 12-year cycle (or the better part of it) the same person remains in
power." And who can say things turned out differently in Russia?
Argumenty i Facty: Pavel Vladimirovich, a year ago, many of your
colleagues praised the upcoming year of the Rat 
and predicted prosperity, not crisis. Did they
miss something?
According to the Chinese zodiac,
2008 was the year of the Rat.
Pavel Sviridov: Projections for the year of the Rat, Bull, et
cetera, I personally regard as "pop [culture]" with strong commercial
undertones. I lived in China
for many years and know that the Chinese themselves don't follow this
"animal" calendar, and laugh at suggestions about what to wear, eat
and drink on New Year’s Eve. This calendar [the Chinese lunar calendar ]
is based on the position of only one planet - Jupiter - and doesn't take into
account the complex interactions between the planets.
I said that 2008 would be a
year of instability in the wake of a great crisis. This is because technically there
is no crisis yet - there is just a small rolling-back of plans, appetites and
anticipation of something bad to come. The real crisis is lies ahead …
Argumenty i Facty: Oh, we will scare our readers now.
Pavel Sviridov: There is no reason to be frightened. It’s the normal
course of affairs that after excesses, one has to scale back, regroup. For
instance, the crisis of 1998 turned out to be a boon for our economy: the State
Defense Committee bubble burst and vigorous growth ensued. [Editor's Note: The
State Defense Committee is said to have held 'total power' in the Soviet state ].
The star signs and the planets that rule them. Astrologers
say that just like people, nations have star signs and that
astrological predictions can be made for them.
Pavel Sviridov: The entire world will soon fall into the abyss of a
global perestroika [restructuring]. From 2011 until 2015, a so-called
quadrature of the two most distant planets - Uranus and Pluto - will persist.
Uranus will enter the sign of Aries, and Pluto will enter Capricorn. Uranus is
the planet of revolution - the overthrow of the old. Pluto is a planet of
catastrophe, mass unrest and epidemics. All significant wars have occurred
under the influence of these planets. Right now, the world is moving toward
just this kind of great conflict. Perhaps even some local use of nuclear
weapons - but more about this later.
YUAN HITS THE DOLLAR.
Pavel Sviridov: The year 2009 is unusual. In 2009 there will be six
lunar and solar eclipses! It has been proven that at the time of an eclipse,
all processes on Earth experience powerful stress. This year, the eclipses will
occur on the axis of two signs of the Zodiac: in the summer it will be Leo and
at the end of the winter, Aquarius. Aquarius is Russia’s sign; consequently, we
will find ourselves in the thick of these energy shocks. In the 20th century,
the same concurrence of eclipses occurred during 1905-1907; 1914-1917; 1924 and
1953; 1933 - the arrival of fascism in Germany; 1942-1944 - the most difficult
years of the war [WWII]; 1979-1982 - from the beginning of the war in
Afghanistan until Brezhnev’s death; 1989-1991 - the dissolution of the Soviet
Union; 1998-2000 - the crisis and the war in Chechnya.
In 2009, in the sign of Virgo,
Saturn opposes Uranus in Pisces. Uranus, as I mentioned, is associated with
change, while Saturn stands for conservatism and the past. Tension will exist
between these two powerful planets for the entire year, which means that there
will be a war between new and old. Perhaps a battle for a new world order to
reform the global financial system. There are already rumors of an alternative
global currency, such as the "golden Yuan."
Finally, in 2009, Jupiter
will enter the sign of Aquarius (the sign of Russia), where it will be joined
by Neptune. Neptune is "responsible"
for religious and national liberation movements, and Jupiter for expansion and
strengthening. Therefore in 2009, we can expect a tide of religious and
national extremism. And toward the end of the year, a similar "bond"
between Saturn and Pluto will be formed, an event that also served as a
backdrop for many of the 20th century’s key events: the beginning of both world
wars; the crisis of 1991-1993; and the terrorist attack on the United States in
September of 2001. So the year that awaits us will be a most difficult one.
But the poor will be fed and
the violent will be intimidated.
Argumenty i Facty: The government will probably be interested to know
what the price of oil will be …
Pavel Sviridov: Oil will be traded somewhere in the
$40-60 per barrel range, although drops to $30 per barrel are possible.
Incidentally, the analysis shows that oil prices always drop before global
conflicts, because this gives armies a chance to satisfy their impressive need
for fuel: buy kerosene for aircraft, diesel for tanks, et cetera.
Argumenty i Facty: Will Russia have enough resources to survive these
hard times?
Pavel Sviridov: The most important resource is the patience of our
people. We have already gone through all kinds of deprivation. Probably the
government will once again be forced to renew the practice of issuing food
rationing cards - and not just for low income individuals. A food provision
program will be adopted to reduce dependence on imports. A surge of protest is
possible, so in 2009 the government will take measures to prevent social
unrest. Among these will be identifying and neutralizing union activists and leaders
of suspicious youth organizations. I don't foresee early elections next year.
To maintain the credibility of the state, the government might hold public
trials of corrupt officials and announce big resignations.
Liberalization will only
begin between 2013-2015. In the meantime, a cushion has been built up which
will allow the government to balance out and mitigate dangerous moments. A
certain escalation of the situation might occur in March-April, but this is
most likely to be related to international conditions.
[Argumenty i Facty, Russia]
OBAMA MORE EXTREME THAN
BUSH?
Argumenty i Facty: What do the planets have in store for Barack Obama?
Pavel Sviridov: After two years in office, he will cease
to play a significant role in American history. Obama is a figurehead. His role
will be akin to the one played by Gorbachev in our country. America is buried
in bureaucracy and suffers from its own rigidity. Americans understand that
they can’t develop in this direction any longer. It's time to change and become
more flexible. Obama will adopt a number of unpopular measures and assume
responsibility for them. At the same time, America will become even more
involved with global restructuring. The new president will not withdraw U.S.
troops from Iraq. Meanwhile, the number of troops in Afghanistan will rise. So,
in comparison to him, Bush will seem soft and fluffy.
Argumenty i Facty: Will relations between Russia and America improve?
Pavel Sviridov: The greatest threat for us in the 21st century isn't
America, but China, which, with its velvet glove, presses us
harder and harder in the Far East. Our border
areas - Amur, Primorye - are home to 3-4 million people. But neighboring areas
of China
are home to hundreds of millions. They don’t even have to fight us. They just
need to cross the border and live here … bribe local authorities and obtain
resident permits. This is the tactic of the silk worm - quietly gnawing away at
a leaf. The Chinese economy will experience a worsening shortage of resources.
And they have no place to get those resources other than Russia.
Argumenty i Facty: Lastly: in what form would you advise Russians to
keep their savings?
Pavel Sviridov: In 2009, the dollar will be equivalent to about
30-32 rubles, at best. But in general, one shouldn't invest in currency, but
rather in things of more enduring value - in one’s health, the health of one’s
children, and the improvement of one’s home. I would advise people who have
extra money to invest in dental care, fitness and the stockpiling of food - the
kind of food, of course, that the mice can't get to. Remember that our dachas
[country homes] aren't just for green lawns: one can also use them to grow
potatoes and cucumbers. In general, the most important things in this age of
crisis are health, family and simple domestic joys.
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