Louis Althusser is a postmodern, post-structural philosopher known for his contribution of reinterpreting Marxism and making it a modern reading. His career suffered downfall when he strangled his wife to death and that point of time he was suffering from bipolar disorder. For analyzing his thoughts we have to make preview into the philosophy of Marxism.

Marxism is an atheistic philosophy that has introduced the concept of materialistic interpretation of history and dialectical materialism. What is materialistic interpretation of history? Marx argues that all the institutions of society have their root base on the production system. The factors of production are owned and controlled by the Capitalists who exploit the workers and make stupendous profit. All the institutions of the society like legal, political, religious and literary are owned and controlled by the capitalism. Dialectical materialism espouses the view that roots of society’s foundations, its institutions lie with the economic base that is who owns the factors of production. Marx is of the view that a capitalist system makes profit and creates an industrial class of people called the bourgeoisie and a menial exploited class of people the proletariat. Althusser is not clear about how these Marxian concepts can be accommodated into modern-day capitalist societies.

The next concept used by Althusser is ideology. Ideology is used in the broad sense of the term and encompasses society’s structures especially its political, legal, economic, psychiatric and literary structures. These structures function as ideological apparatuses. However the relevance of Marxism and ideological structures is anachronistic. All of the ideological apparatuses, the legal, political, economic, and psychiatric are dependent on the economics of production. Profit making of the bourgeoisie and exploitation of the workers is the result of the function of ideology. Here I would like to disagree with Althusser. What began as Communism and known as the Eastern bloc including the erstwhile Soviet Union collapsed. Free enterprise and capitalism rule the world today. Even in a country like China, only it political structure is communist while its market is market friendly.

Next we come upon Althusser’s term: the problematic. A rereading and re-interpretation of Marxian texts is problematic. The Marxian concept of class struggle is antiquated. The workers in a capitalistic society are not exploited. They are paid wages to meet their needs. Marxism has been successful only in Communist Cuba but Cuba is also opening its doors to a free market economy. Marxian concepts have failed to work in modern-day economy. The internationalization of the industry as the transnational corporation and also out sourcing has created many jobs for workers in the third world. The world is edging towards a one world order and a one world currency. The bourgeoisie are becoming richer and richer while the workers become divided into upper and lower middle-class strata of the society.

Next Althusser talks about ideology as an aesthetic artifact. Aesthetics produces works of art which have an ideological structure. For example Renaissance paintings carried Christian motifs and it represented the ideological influence of Christianity. The works of Andy Warhol show the preponderance of crass consumerism. Mainstream literature especially pulp literature depicts the ethos of consumerism starved with the narcissism of the fetish of deprived minds. Can art transcend ideology and introduce something new? Art and aesthetics have to become a culture of deviation.

United States of America, United Kingdom and Soviet Union joined hands during World War 2 with the common intention of destroying blood thirsty Nazi Germany presided by military dictator Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately, peace and harmony between capitalist America and communist Russia vanished immediately after Allies emerged victorious in World War 2.

The human race was horrified to witness the destructive capacity of atomic weapons; undeniably it was a weapon of genocide, perhaps the new definition of terror. Soviet leadership was convinced that its mighty Red Army could not face any opponent armed with weapons of mass destruction. The use of nuclear weapons over Japan alarmed cynical Joseph Stalin who immediately ordered crash development of similar devices. This subsequently sparked arms race between the superpowers. Soviets stunned the world in 1949 by detonating their own atomic device; they added another feather to their cap by becoming pioneers of space exploration. Russian expertise in rocketry and space technology was showcased after successful launch of Sputnik 1.

People republic of China, East Germany, North Korea, Cuba and Eastern European countries were Pro-Soviet communist states. Western European countries, Canada and US supported democracy and abhorred communist ideology. Both USA and USSR competed to influence Latin American, newly independent African and Asian nations. One of the most dangerous phases of Cold War was Cuban missile crisis. Soviet missiles stationed in Cuba posed direct threat to USA. Diplomatic intervention resolved the crisis but both blocks engaged in proxy wars. Vietnam War was one such armed confrontation where USA and USSR flexed their military muscles behind veils supporting their respective ideological allies. North Vietnam, a pro-soviet pastoral state stiffly resisted US air raids with sophisticated soviet supplied anti-aircraft missile systems. The War ended in 1975 with the fall of US backed South Vietnam.

The space race effectively ended with the success of NASA's Apollo missions. In 1970's both power blocks were interested in establishing stable and peaceful environment. US President Richard Nixon even visited communist China with the intention of normalizing relations. Of course, this was an attempt to tamper the balance of Cold War. Peace talks collapsed and hostility emerged immediately after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Seeking vengeance for losing Vietnam War, US government armed Afghan guerrilla fighters by supporting mujaheddin insurgency. Afghan mercenaries and guerrilla fighters received vast financial help from Gulf countries. They were also supplied with state of the art weapons to confront well equipped Soviet armed forces. Afghan Insurgents were devoted, patriotic and ready to lay down their life. Hundreds of Soviet tanks, helicopters, armored personnel carrier, fighter planes, and artillery guns were destroyed or damaged by insurgents. Approximately 15,000 Russian soldiers lost their life.

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced withdrawing forces from war- torn Afghanistan. Last soviet troops left Afghanistan in 1989. This war is satirically said to be "Soviet Union's Vietnam War" and one of the major contributing factors that led to dissolution of USSR.
Soviet Union ceased to exist on 26th December 1991. US President George HW Bush expressed his contentment of America emerging triumphant in the Cold War. Millions of innocent people lost their lives in proxy wars around the globe. Both USSR and USA had devoted enormous resources towards military programs, covert operations, and proxy wars. The ideological differences continue to form a rift and strained relations between former rivals. Both sides are still engaged in proxy wars with the latest example being the Syrian Civil War.

In 1912, Lenin, then in exile in Switzerland, appointed Joseph Stalin to deliver on the very first Central Committee on the Bolshevik Party. 3 years down the line, in November 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power in Russian federation. The Soviet Union was created in 1922, with Lenin as its very first leader. During these many years, Stalin had continued to progress the party ladder, and in 1922 he became secretary general of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, a job which enabled him to appoint the allies of his to federal work and develop a foundation of political support.

After Lenin died in 1924, Stalin inevitably outmaneuvered the rivals of his and received the power struggle for command of the Communist Party. By the late 1920s, he’d become dictator of the Soviet Union.

Beginning in the late 1920s, Joseph Stalin released a number of five year designs meant to change the Soviet Union originating from a peasant modern society into an industrial superpower. His development plan was based on federal control of the economic system and also integrated the forced collectivization of Soviet farming, where the federal government had taken command of farms. Millions of growers refused to cooperate with Stalin’s orders and were shot or perhaps exiled as punishment. The forced collectivization even resulted in prevalent famine across the Soviet Union which killed millions.

Stalin ruled by terror along with a totalitarian hold to be able to eliminate any person who would probably oppose him. The powers of the secret police were expanded by him, citizens that are encouraged to spy on each other and also had large numbers of folks killed or perhaps sent to the Gulag process of forced labor camps. During the 2nd one half of the 1930s, Stalin instituted the great Purge, a number of strategies made to rid the Communist Party, the other and military areas of Soviet society from all those he deemed a threat.

Additionally, Stalin made a cult of character around himself inside the Soviet Union. Cities have been renamed in the honor of his. Soviet history books have been rewritten to offer him a far more visible role in the revolution and mythologize different elements of the life of his. He was the topic of flattering artwork, music and literature, and his title became a part of the Soviet national anthem. The government of his even managed the Soviet press.

In 1939, on the eve of World War II, German dictator Hitler and Stalin signed a nonaggression pact. Stalin then proceeded to annex areas of Romania and Poland, in addition to the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. He additionally launched an intrusion of Finland. Then, in June 1941, Germany broke the Nazi Soviet pact and invaded the USSR, producing significant beginning inroads. (Stalin had disregarded alerts from the British and the Americans, in addition to his intelligence agents, about a possible invasion, so the Soviets weren’t ready for war.) As German soldiers approached the Soviet capital of Moscow, Stalin stayed there and aimed a scorched earth protective policy, ruining some infrastructure or supplies which could benefit the enemy. The tide spun for the Soviets together with the Battle of Stalingrad, from August 1942 to February 1943, during that the Red Army defeated the Germans and ultimately drove them from Russian federation.

As the battle progressed, Stalin participated in the main Allies conferences, together in Tehran (1943) and Yalta (1945). The iron of his will as well as deft political skills allowed him to play the devoted friend while hardly ever abandoning the vision of his of an expanded postwar Soviet kingdom.

JOSEPH STALIN’S Later YEARS

Joseph Stalin didn’t mellow with age: He prosecuted a reign of terror, purges, executions, exiles to labor camps and persecution in the postwar USSR, suppressing each anything and dissent that smacked of foreign especially Western influence. He developed communist governments throughout Eastern Europe, and also in 1949 led the Soviets into the nuclear era by exploding an atomic bomb. In 1950, he provided North Korea’s communist leader Kim Il Sung authorization to invade United States supported South Korea, an event which triggered the Korean War.

Stalin, who grew more and more paranoid in the later years, died on March five, 1953, at age seventy four, after going through a stroke. His body was embalmed and preserved in Lenin’s mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square until 1961, when it was eliminated and placed near the Kremlin walls together with the de-Stalinization process set up by Stalin’s successor Nikita Khrushchev (1894 1971).

By some estimates, he was to blame for the deaths of twenty million folks during his brutal rule.

Indeed as a Westerner who grew up immersed in Western Culture, I definitely appreciate the concept of a way out for a pilot when everything goes wrong, thus, I like the concept of ejection seats, as it speaks to the needs of the one, outweighing the needs of the many – which is a Western Ideal of course. Still, for every 10 F-35s the United States Military buys costs us $ 1 Billion – at that price we can barely afford them, and we cannot afford to lose any – so we don't want pilots giving up the ship too easy. Remember in the past; the captain went down with the ship as a badge of honor.

Now then, fast forward to China, the latest emerging Super Power in the present period. They too are building what they hope to be legitimate 5th generation fighter and bomber planes. These aircraft, the J-20 Chengdu and J-21 Shenyang, also have ejection seats, but why? If we go back to the Star Trek debate between Captain Kirk and Spock, Spock stated; "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one" which is a communist type philosophy. Going by this philosophy one could ask; Why did the old Soviet Union have ejection seats in their aircraft and why does today's Russia Russia them them as well?

Good question, especially considering how excellent the Russian ejection seats are, and we know this because we've seen them in action at various international airshows when the pilots have bitten off more than they can chew and wander outside the aircraft aerodynamic envelope. Yes, the Russians have GREAT ejection seats, we have to give them at least credit for that. Now then, the Chinese, also a communist nation have ejection seats too, but why? Why bother, the individual is not considered their strength, for it is the whole in communism that makes their strength.

Could it merely be that the Russians copied the United States during the cold war and built ejection seats into their aircraft knowing that the pilot could not merely open the canopy and try to bail out at high speed without hitting the tail? Today, many of the Sukhoi and Mig fighters have twin tails and the pilot should be about to exit the aircraft and have at least a fighting chance bailing out without an ejection seat without hitting the vertical stabilizer (tail).

Could it be that the Chinese, even with their communist philosophy, have ejection seats because they copied the idea, rather than because they really care about their pilots? You see, these aircraft are costly, important, and the Communist Chinese Red Army's Airforce and Navy doesn't want to lose them, shouldn't they require the pilot to try to fly the aircraft without 'giving up' just to save their own butts? There is something to be said about an army burning the bridges behind them, giving themselves no escape route, it means retreat is impossible, just like the old NASA slogan; Failure Is Not An Option. Hint: No ejection seats in space during the Apollo Missions.

The Chinese made a fatal mistake putting ejection seats in those aircraft. Sure it makes sense if they wish to sell them to foreign countries and cash in on the rush to stealth in the global arms sales market, but for China themselves, it makes absolutely no sense what so ever. Think on this.

Have you ever noticed what can happen if you just met a friend in the street and shared a cab? You are both in the cab, all is fine, you plan to attend a social function and suddenly your cab gets involved in an accident. The police comes and you are a witness in an unforeseen event. Per chance? Not quite. There might be an explanation.

All people have vibrations emanating from their bodies. Some people have much stronger vibrations than others (as evident in the human aura) while others have energies very focused at a certain point in the human system (physical, mental or spiritual) and of greater strength than most. Such people are instrumental in attracting to themselves events of a positive or negative nature. As in the case of an earthquake that has an epicenter. I term such people as catalysts because that’s what they are.

In history we find examples of positive catalysts like Gandhi, a peace maker and negative catalysts like Hitler, Mussolini or Rasputin who brought down the Romanoff Dynasty by his negative vibrations.

We must never underestimate the influence of such catalysts upon people whose energies are not as focused. You would say “where?”

The concentration of energies may be on money. The result will be extreme events in financial matters. Mr. Greenspan, the Chairman of the Fed can create reverberations in the financial markets of the world by increasing the prime interest rate by 0.25%.

When a catalyst’s energies are focused on the physical plane like sex, the events of a sexual nature in form of sexual perversion may manifest. They may not be evident to the friends or relatives of the person concerned.

The negative catalysts create milestones in the history of the human race. Karl Marx created quite a stir with his theory of Communism and his ideology remains a milestone among the Eastern and Western cultures because his energies were focused on the idea of a government. Karl Marx with Friedrich Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848 that changed the system of governments in the East and West.

Generally speaking, there are people among us, who are stronger than the rest and create profound events in the lives of those around them. Look at any leader. What we see is that lives change for the better or worse of all people connected with a leader. Such changes do not become apparent instantly but they do occur.

There are people who carry with them an aura of fatality or of a positive event. A little observation will make it quite clear. Stay with such a person and watch the events taking place. Not every person is a catalyst. Most people have their energies quite scattered and they make up the work force of a nation.

Association with right people can make the difference between success and failure in life.

The Titanic disaster attracted more than 800 people to it. So great was its pull. There are smaller catalysts, too. Such people are the cause of an event. Nothing happens without action. An event is merely a reaction to an action performed consciously or unconsciously by a person.

When we become aware of two types of catalysts in our lives, we can then save ourselves from many negative events in our lives by dissociating ourselves from extreme people.

The city is architecturally beautiful and nothing like you would have seen before. The city is a melting pot of cultures as it has been under the reign of several kingdoms in the past. And today, you can see a mixture of culturally and ethnically distinct people who call it their home. This has gone on to influence the language, festivals, cuisines, and the lifestyle prevalent in the city. Budapest has been warming up to the onset of travelers, and as a result, a lot of restaurants, clubs, pubs, and shops have been setting up stage.

Since it is yet to see a clutter of touristy crowd, the city has many untouched things to explore. So, make Qatar Airways reservation to indulge in the offbeat experiences in Budapest before they become a part of the regular things to do.

Vajdahunyad Castle

Budapest proclaims its supremacy in architecture with many artistically beautiful buildings speckled throughout its cityscape. But, none compares to the allure of the Vajdahunyad Castle. Built in 1896, with wood and cardboard, as part of Hungary’s millennial celebrations, the castle was made a permanent structure in 1904 as a result of its fame among the local masses. The castle elegantly depicts four distinct types of architectural styles that had had an influence on Hungary in the bygone days. The castle is cloaked in a dream-like ambience that stands in stark contrast to the nearby stately buildings. Book Qatar Airways flight tickets to Budapest and have a great time.

The Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum

A place that is sure to tap your curiosity, The Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum is no ordinary museum. It has an eeriness to itself with relics that include bats, lizards and crocodiles. The museum started its journey as a private collection of pharmaceutical oddities in 1896 but soon turned in to a full-fledged museum by the year 1948. The collection has been labelled as the “Historical Chemist Relics” and it’s sure to transport you in to the world of alchemists, the way it has been portrayed in movies and literature. So, scout out the best last minute flight deals to Budapest and let your curiosity soar.

Budapest Cave Church

Sitting adjacent to the Gellert Hill, Budapest Cave Church is a scenic delight. A small cave church with a large cross adorning it, the place was once a home of a hermit monk. Presently, the cave is supervised by the Pauline Monks. The church has had a troubled history with the Communist government shutting it off. Only, after the fall of communism, the cave saw the dawn of the day. And today, it welcomes travelers from all across the globe to soak in its unscathed beauty. Start your search for Emirates flight deals to Budapest and explore this lesser known tourist attraction.

Red Ruin

Communism is a word that resonates loud and clear in Budapest. And, Red Ruin is the only theme bar that reminisces its political past, that too with humor. The wall art and posters present a hilarious take on communism and is sure to tickle your funny bone. The redbrick construction of the bar lends it a yesteryear demeanor that is riveting. The bar is a huge hit amongst locals and tourists for its wide variety of local and international beers.

A Global Thermonuclear war is not going to ever happen! However, through-out the perpetual ages of global human trafficking; regional wars, famines, diseases, genocides, economic recessions, etc, will be allowed to further distract humanity.

Why?

Because these man-made Black Psyops are needed to reinforce the religious and financial narratives (ie monotheism, capitalism, communism) that keep humanity under control.

(Remember: "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion … if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.")

Who is behind the Black-Psyops against Humanity?

The United States government Incorporated and its proxies (ie mainstream media, Non-profit Groups, Politicians, United Nations, KKK, Shriner's, Freemason's etc.)

(Remember: The Authors become the Authority, and the Authorities declare their own information to be Authentic!)

As long as the world's population is being fed false information via disinformation campaigns in the form of (ie racial tensions, contentious elections, political discord, Geo-Political Saber Rattling, etc.) intentional distractions that keep humanity from ever finding out the truth that the world we live in is a giant aquarium!

The NASA space program is an absolute fraud! Which is also inclusive of the European Space Agency in cooperation with China, Russia and Japanese space agency programs.

When did the "Authorities" find out the truth?

Jean-François Champollion deciphered the language and revealed the secrets of the Ancient Egyptian civilization for The Grand Orient de France Masonic Order by translating the Rosetta Stone and several hundred other ancient texts. Prior to 1828 the only 'proof' that existed of "Flat Earth" were the records of antiquity from Alexandria on Elephantine Island near Syene (Aswan, Egypt) Ancient Babylon The Treasure of Nimrod, The Iraqi National Museum (Baghdad, Iraq) and the Vatican Secret Archives. Champollion's translations were considered "heresy" because they did not fit the "Loving God" narrative of the Roman Catholic Church and he was murdered by masons from P2 Masonic Lodge.

In 1871 the Thule Society was a secret society that existed as the precursor to the Nazi Party. Its members called themselves "Theosophists" and are known to be the custodians and keepers of esoteric occult knowledge passed down from the Antediluvian period.

In 1934 Adolph Hitler's major ambition was to become Supreme Chancellor of Germany in order to have a seat at the table of the League of Nations. As the ruler of Germany, Adolf Hitler spared no expense and committed ALL the economic resources of Germany to explore the masonic legends of the Thule Society. In 1937 Nazi Germany was the first regime to confirm the existence of the "Flat Earth" via Nazi technological achievements under Project Vril.

What is the truth that Adolph Hitler discovered?

The so-called "Globe" is a 24,901 mile wildlife preserve. The V-2 rockets that Nazi Germany launched were ballistic missiles that contained 'High Altitude Cameras' that obtained photographic proof that only existed previously in the records of antiquity from Alexandria on Elephantine Island near Syene (Aswan, Egypt); Ancient Babylon The Treasure of Nimrod; The Iraqi National Museum (Baghdad, Iraq) and the Vatican Secret Archives.

Why?

Because, "There is no religion higher than truth." In the United States, the Founding Fathers were newly & duly "Accepted Freemasons" but they did not have the access to the sacred records of Antiquity that their European brethren possessed. So American masonic fascination with Egyptian and Persian antiquities was even more insatiable. The Shriner's and Freemasons that ran The Federal Reserve Bank and Americas wealthiest corporations were desperate for occult knowledge. It wasn't until the late 1950's under 'Operation Paperclip' that the military industrial complex had finally acquired the Nazi scientist to help develop the technology to confirm the truth.

In 1961 President John F. Kennedy, declared that space exploration is a budgetary priority and began a dramatic expansion of the US space program. In 1962 (ie Operation Fish Bowl) President Kennedy reaffirmed the United States commitment in his "We choose to go to the moon" speech.

President John F. Kennedy had the moral courage and leadership to commit unlimited resources to confirm the 'Truth' about the "Globe". Unfortunately, the "Deep State" did not agree with informing the world's general population. President John F. Kennedy was murdered on November 22, 1963 (like Jean-Francois Champollion) by Masons of the of P2 Masonic Lodge, now operating under the auspices of the CIA.

Where does Kim Jun-Un fit into the picture?

It's the highest priority of the ALL the world government to maintain TOP SECRET / SCI for individuals with "Level M" National Security Clearance and above!

North Korean Leader Kim Jung-Un is not a member of the "Grand Masonic Lodge. The People's Republic of North Korea are not Christians; Muslims, Jews, Hindu's, etc. The people of North Korea do not have a religious ideology! not controlled by the IMF or World Bank. The People of North Korea are obedient and loyal to their leader and "nothing is restrained from them from which they imagined to do – Genesis 11: 6 KJV. The people of North Korea are One!

The World Masonic "Authority" is fearful of Kim Jung-Un because he is like Nimrod! The greatest fear is that Kim Jung-Un will put "High Altitude Cameras" in the ballistic missiles – not nuclear bombs! Kim Jung-Un has the power to reveal the secret knowledge that our Ancient ancestors already knew! The Globe we live in is …

Vietnam is a small country in the Eastern part of Asia. Popularly also called Indo China, it was part of The French Empire. But the equation was disturbed with the invasion by the Japanese Army during the Second World War. The French had no option but to retreat and they soon gave up in Indo China.

The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima (1945) altered the power equation further. The Japanese surrendered and the French tried to make a come back. But they were badly defeated by the communists under Ho Chi Minh and his commander General Giap. The entire North Vietnam was taken over by the communists while the Southern part remained free of their influence. However a insurrection aided by the Communists from the North was started in South Vietnam.

The power vacuum was filled by the United States, which moved into the South with a vast Army to bolster the regime in South Vietnam. The aim of the USA was to stem the communist influence and for this they positioned almost half a million troops in Vietnam. In addition the US president LB Johnson, after the famous Tomkin Gulf incident ordered the aerial bombardment of military targets over North Vietnam.

The bombing from distant American airbases with heavy B 52 bombers failed to yield the desired results. The war in South Vietnam also failed to take off and the Communist guerrillas (The Viet Cong) harassed the US Army. There were daring attacks against the US troops and after a couple of years the American top brass realized that they could not win the war in Vietnam. In addition the large number of coffins arriving from Vietnam swayed public perception of the war at home in America and the Americans longed for a face saving way to get out of the war.

The war now became a quick sand for the US troops as the US Army realized that fighting on the flat plains of Europe and the Desert sands in North Africa was a different kettle of fish from fighting against the Guerrillas in the thick jungles of SE Asia. The harassed US Army despite tremendous acts of Individual bravery had no option but to call for a withdrawal from South Vietnam. It was a tremendous strategic defeat for US Arms. In fact just after the US withdrew the North Vietnamese over ran the south and established a communist regime there.

With the US involved in a similar fight in Afghanistan, there is a real possibility of a second straight defeat there after Vietnam. The Americans lost in Vietnam because of their lack of will to fight at the later stages of the war. It must be remembered the US forces while in Vietnam did blunt the famous Tet offensive in 1968. There subsequent loss of nerve was their undoing.

The war in Afghanistan is also similar. There are no easy victories and the US will have to show purpose and will to fight in Afghanistan. A loss of nerve like in Vietnam may well hand the US armed forces a defeat. The US Military leadership should be aware of this.

OCTOBER 1962 – The world held its breath as America and Russia went to the brink, with nuclear weapons at the ready. Russia was installing nuclear missiles in Cuba-a mere 90 miles from the Florida coast. The 13-day crisis played-out in real time on TV around the world.

As American and Soviet delegates came together to negotiate, tensions were high, and they soon became deadlocked. And then… a Russian delegate told a joke: “What is the difference between Capitalism and Communism? In Capitalism, man exploits man. In Communism, it is the other way around.”

Delegates on both sides laughed, and this created a bond among all of them. (Hey, ya gotta start somewhere!) With the tension eased for the moment, talks resumed, and eventually a deal was struck that avoided blowing up the planet-no small feat!

Whether you’re negotiating for world peace or for which movie to go to, humor can play a crucial role in your success.

According to a recent study on business negotiations, humor has numerous functions in the negotiation process. It can put the negotiators at ease; it can introduce a difficult issue; it can foster togetherness and team spirit; it can help the other negotiator save face; and it can be a way of being cooperative in spite of disagreement.

Additional studies show that if you can inject humor into your negotiations, you’re more likely to get what you’re negotiating for.

Once when I was negotiating with a potential client over the phone, it became obvious that budget was a delicate topic. I could feel the tension rising, and when he posed the question: “How much is this going to cost me?” I wanted to reduce the tension.

I paused and said, “Are you sitting down??” He laughed, and from that point, the conversation about money went smoothly.

Those four little words, spoken in just the right tone of voice, have helped me close dozens of deals over the years.

Think strategically. Who do you negotiate with? It might be with a colleague, a competitor, a customer, an employee, a boss, a colleague or even a family member. (You do understand, I hope, that getting a child to go to bed is not something that you command, but rather something you negotiate. Some of those rugrats make Johnnie Cochran look like an amateur. And don’t even get me started on teenagers!)

What are you negotiating for? Examine it and look for an opportunity to weave in a little humor-like a humorous and relevant anecdote, a funny comment or gesture. You probably want to start with something whimsical. Something short. Something that relates to the situation at hand. Negotiations are often important and intense, so use humor wisely, cautiously and professionally. (No “sharp jabs” like Don Rickles is famous for!)

The ability to successfully negotiate is a helpful skill for everyone, but it’s an essential tool for anyone who plans to sell or lead. You may not be called upon to save the world from nuclear war-but I guarantee that sometime soon you will be called upon to save a deal, or make the sale, or advance your agenda in some manner. Humor, used strategically, can make you a more powerful and effective negotiator.

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev came into this world on March Second 1931 in the southern Russian province of Stravropol Krai. Born to peasant farmers, he started to be active in the Communist Party and also learned law at the Moscow State Faculty. While at faculty he met and also married Raisa Titarenko. One child, Irina was had by the couple.

Early political life

Gorbachev returned to Stavropol after graduation and also worked as a regional Communist Party official. Gorbachev studied for a 2nd degree in agriculture and then started to rise throughout the ranks of the provincial Communist Party.

Climbing the ranks

Having created a name for himself to be a regional modernizer and reformer, in 1978 he was summoned to Moscow and appointed to the farming main committee. Under the advice of senior Communist Party officials Gorbachev was quickly promoted to the Soviet Union's executive committee, the Politburo.

Becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Union

By the 1980s the Soviet economic climate was in radical need of change. In 1985, after 3 elderly leaders died in fast succession, Gorbachev, a protege of former Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, was appointed General Secretary as well as top leader of the Soviet Union. At fifty four he was among probably the youngest executives and also was viewed as the brand-new broom which could clear up the decrepit Soviet system.

Perestroika and Glasnost

Gorbachev hinged the efforts of his to revitalize the Soviet Union on two plans: glasnost (meaning openness) and also perestroika (meaning restructuring). By relaxing bureaucracy as well as censorship Gorbachev wished to change the Stalinist Soviet program into a far more contemporary modern democracy. While glasnost was commonly celebrated, the attempts of his to restructure the Soviet economy mostly floundered.

Nuclear summits

Gorbachev saw that huge sums of cash were being poured into the army to match the US. Desperate to regain this cash, a warmer connection with the West was fostered by Gorbachev. In a number of high profile summits Gorbachev met President Reagan and the two men made crucial nuclear disarmament agreements. The thaw in relations efficiently signaled the conclusion of the Cold War.

The rise of nationalism

Inspired by glasnost, and comforted by Gorbachev's refusal to use military power, a few Warsaw Pact nations as well as Soviet republics declared the intentions of theirs to distance themselves from Communist rule. By the conclusion his tenure the Berlin Wall was pulled down and large republics like Ukraine, Lithuania and Belorussia had declared their independence.

The August Coup

In 1991 reactionary hard liners in the Communist Party, fearing the collapse of the Soviet Union, attempted to get rid of Gorbachev. Imprisoned in his dacha vacation house in the Crimea Gorbachev listened on the air since the army attempted to grab control of the Russian parliament. Thwarted by the endeavors of Russian President Boris Yeltsin and also mass protests the coup failed. Gorbachev returned to Moscow but quickly realized the balance of popular support and power had shifted to Yeltsin.

The conclusion of the Soviet Union

After the unsuccessful coup Yeltsin struck two hits which properly ended the Soviet Union. For starters, as President of the Russian federation, he banned almost all Communist Party activity on Russian soil. Secondly, together with the presidents of Belorussia and Ukraine, signed a treaty to make a brand new commonwealth of republics. Without these crucial nations the Soviet Union was defunct. Gorbachev recognized the unavoidable and resigned.

Retirement

After developing several new parties and failing to gain support, Gorbachev's political career was over. In retirement he established the Gorbachev Foundation – a think tank in charge of exploring Russian political policies.