Politics: Art of the Forgettable

By dispensing with the celebrations associated with November 7, Russian president Vladimir Putin is seeking to define a new history for his country. But his action involves the sweeping erasure of a significant moment in world history, a day associated with the establishment of the "Soviet Unionâ". For several decades, the existence of the Soviet Union offered a unique vision of liberation for several countries around the world that were still bonded to colonialism.