Two Of The Most Powerful Men In The World Clash During ‘Kitchen Table’ Debate
This day in history
The year is 1959 …
And during a visit to Moscow, U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon will debate Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in a series of exchanges known as the “Kitchen Debate,” which originated from an agreement signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1958.
In a set that resembled an average American kitchen, the two leaders hotly debated the merits of both capitalism and communism as the event was broadcast across both countries. The Soviet Union had opened an exhibit in New York City to showcase Soviet products and lifestyles. The U.S. had opened one in Moscow to showcase the fruits of a consumer-capitalist society, including modern appliances such as a refrigerator, dishwasher, and electric stove.
Nixon hammered home the point that America was more technologically advanced and that the average citizen could afford a starter home stocked with new appliances. Khrushchev, however, was not impressed.
“This is what America is capable of, and how long has she existed? 300 years? 150 years of independence and this is her level. We haven’t quite reached 42 years, and in another 7 years, we’ll be at the level of America, and after that we’ll go farther. As we pass you by, we’ll wave ‘hi’ to you, and then if you want, we’ll stop and say, ‘please come along behind us’.”
Of course, 30 years later, the Soviet Union would collapse.
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Kruschev was never a "real" communist, he actually made certain reforms that were capitalistic during his rule. Despite crushing the Check's independence movement he also allowed more freedom of expression than his predessesor (of course that guy was Stalin, you could not do any worse except maybe Hitler). Breshnev acutally cracked down on the reforms that Kruschev had instituted as far as freedom of expression was concerned. Kruschev did not do near enough however compared to the previous and subsequent rulers of Russia he was a pussycat.