IN SEARCH OF THE NEXT STEP
Lragir.am
04/02/10
Ara Nedloyan: theatrical by education and beliefs, publicist, publisher
of philosophical journals "Nozis" and "Artsiv", member of the Yerevan
School of methodology, a member of the Socialist Conference
Mr. Nedloyan, what is your assessment to the current situation?
Speaking of the "power", the "opposition", and the "third force",
we mean a certain space – a conflict. We have a conflict that began
in 2003 and is still continuing. Performers of the main roles have
changed, but the essence of the conflict remained the same. This
conflict is rooted in the Armenian society – government and opposition,
although it has a lot of other roles. But now everyone is looking for a
proverbial "third force", and not the idea of the "next step". This is
the first attempt to provide post-conflict peace. The conflict lasts
as long as its members will not be able to construct a post-conflict
peace.
Worlds are different, and I would divide them into progressive and
regressive, and among them I would separate regressive content, but
progressive form. Conflict space is extremely important, because it
is in this space where you can feel, appreciate, see the strength,
the ideological currents that could potentially build a post-conflict
peace. From this perspective, it should be noted that we have already
tried to build post-conflict peace. In particular, attempts were
made to reconcile the idea of a national socialist. This idea was
presented to the class of businessmen, property owners, and wealthy
people. We can call it the direction of Robert Kocharyan. I would
call it regressive, but a viable idea. The current authorities are
trying to adopt regressive policies, but very weak, because they
do not raise the question of the social base, best interests, not
forming a new class that can become a platform of power.
Progressive and regressive ideologies differ to the issue of
human equality. What should be the control system – vertically or
horizontally-a pyramidal network? Should everyone have the right to
the economy, politics, culture, or just selected ones? Progressive
forces believe that this right belongs to everyone.
Who are progressive forces in our reality?
The opposition movement combines the progress and the regress. They
propose innovative ideas with regressive tactics building some
pyramidal design, which will make decisions and represent them to
people. I would call it progressive authoritarianism. This is a
classic HHSh.
Other segments of the movement are trying to imagine a future in
which everyone will have the rights and possibilities and their
implementation (this is about what Nikol says – "one plus one"). The
network system of the society does not rely on a leader, it lives
only through the development of communications in society. The pyramid
communication is vertical – from top to bottom. In a horizontal network
socialistic ideas are formed, which can exist separately from their
vectors. Only this segment of the movement is able to create such a
vocabulary, thinking and ideological currents that can spread from
person to person without a leader without having the will for social
contribution, and revealing the potential that lies in communication
and imagination.
Let us distinguish the logic of the struggle, the logic of the
conflict, which prevails, and the next step, by which I mean
post-conflict and which implies a choice.
What should be the objective of our dreams? Do we need a new society?
The history of mankind is spiritualized by people aspiring to
happiness, law, prosperity, justice for all, and then there are
pessimists who say that this is impossible. Now we need to be limited
by the construction of some pyramid, because you cannot trust all,
happiness will not suffice for all. I think it is a question of human
qualities. People who want something for everyone form a real policy.
Do you think the Armenians in this sense are more pessimists or
optimists?
Armenians are not closed; just we lived in a closed system of pyramids
too long, in parochial terms and in conditions of free initiatives
of strangers, so we are not accustomed to the initiatives. We cannot
assert our rights, to declare that the rights, property, happiness
in our country belong to all. But the only way to be engaged in
the political process is a profound energy of the people. It is a
revolutionary movement. It is not intended to optimally reorganize
the existing pyramid of power, making some adjustments and preserving
the principle of the closed zone.
This is a revolutionary movement which wants to change the principles
that everyone can exercise their freedom and build their own
happiness. I think that search is already happening in the bowels of
the conflict. And I welcome the role of conflict in this search. You
just need to separate the lexicon of conflict – victory, defeat, he is
not with us, which are militant definitions of post-conflict realities,
from the communicational currents which fulfill the good will.
You see the prerequisites for the realization of these plans?
There are programs. There are lots of small groups that are working
on these ideas. The question is that Armenia has not yet grown to
communications with the outside world, with such groups. It seems
to Armenia that it does not solve the global problem on how to give
happiness to everyone but a narrow-Armenian problem, which is not
relevant to the world. But I think that very soon we will come to
understand that the same struggle is going on worldwide, that all
progressive forces in the world are in one camp and there is need to
establish contact with them.
It is necessary to establish contacts with all relevant groups in
Armenia, and the second phase is the establishment of communications
with the outside world, with different ideological currents. Then
regressive forces are ahead because they understand this necessity.
This is due to the fact that regressive forces have already met in
the history of the world the worlds about which they dream. And they
dream only of reproduction. So, objectively it is easier to break
down communication barriers, than to create a system. The progressive
forces have no precedent, no landmark.
How do you see the future of Armenia?
In Armenia of my imagination, Armenian citizens take part in
decision-making. This requires practical freedom, because now,
freedom is not practical, it is concentrated in the hands of a group
of people. To release resources for people- this is the principle.
Interview By Siranuysh Papyan