Chang, A few Caitlin's back I cited the 1917 October Revolution as proof that revolutions are possible - more to convince myself than anything else. And it did last for 72 plus years in spite of the undermining of US/West. Capitalism could never tolerate a threat to its hegemony. Also the Soviet Union would not have imploded (would have reformed itself? ) if Gorbachev wasn't so very naive and gullible as to trust the West.