Concerns About the Soviet Model
As mentioned in the discussion on Che's diplomacy, the trip would have a tremendous impact on him. Specifically, Che began to question the Soviet Union's communist model. Che confided in those close to him that he disagreed with the Kremlin officials who seemed to live a lifestyle similar to those of elitist, bourgeois nature. He did not see that the long term socialist policies had created a new style of man in Moscow. Che criticized Soviet leader Khrushchev for not being orthodox enough in his economic policies. It was also known that Che seemed to side with the Chinese over the Sino-Soviet struggled while in China. He praised Communist China's commune movement that the Soviets had condemned, and also claimed that the Chinese model was the one Latin American countries should follow. A few years later in 1964, Che gave a speech at a delegation of third world countries where he explained that it was the duty of developed communist nations to aid those undeveloped communist states in their struggle against capitalist nations. He continued with attacks on imperialism, which he said some developed socialist states were taking part in through non-mutually beneficial trade agreements with undeveloped socialist states. This was particularly directed to the Soviets, who took the speech as a disgrace. Pictured here is the meeting between Che and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during Che's tour around communist nations.
image: (Anderson 463)
info: (Brown 84) (Anderson 466, 468, 590-591)
image: (Anderson 463)
info: (Brown 84) (Anderson 466, 468, 590-591)