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Fall of Giants

I've long been a fan of historical fiction and just this past Christmas I received from my son Michael Ken Follett's most recent book, Fall of Giants. It is the first book of a trilogy that covers the 20th century and the first installment covers the early 1900s up to just after World War I. It includes characters based in Russia in the time of their revolution. While I studied the Russian Revolution in college, this book brought much back to me - including the chaos that reigned for years leading up to the revolution and continuing throughout.

I write about this today because the Egyptian revolution reminds me of the Russian revolution. The Russian revolution started out quietly and largely as a protest against a harsh and autocratic government - the Tsar. The Russian people didn't have a say in their government and were very poor while the royalty in Russia lived large. The secret police in Russia often killed and imprisoned people for no apparent reason and there were no trials. Tsar Nicholas came to power in the line of succession and ruled with an iron fist. The people revolted, initially peacefully, congregating at the palaces and centers of government. Then the police and military began to attack - the peasants  initially defended themselves without weapons other than sticks, stones and pitchforks.

Similar to Egypt? From the comfort of my living room watching the revolution evolve on television, reading about it in the paper and listening to the radio it sure feels similar. The protesters initially gathered peacefully in the center of the capital - Cairo - and chanted for President Mubarak's departure. He was a harsh, autocratic leader that amassed great wealth while in office while many in his country were going hungry and were without jobs. His secret police were feared and known to imprison and kill. There has never been a genuine election in Egypt - the people do not feel they have a voice in their own destiny. And the only violence came from the opposition to the protest - some riding in on horses or camels to maim the protesters.

I hope the result is a less violent and turbulent transition. In Russia, Lenin and Trotsky attempted to have a non-violent power grab, but I think power is corrupting and the results were that the people of Russia were no better off with the communist regime and even worse off once Stalin came to power.

I pray for the people in Egypt. I pray that the next leader of that country finds a way to institute a government supported by the people and the transition is a non-violent one.

And if you love historical fiction, and want to see the similarities I discussed, check out this book.

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