My point, Toad, is that it was definitely not something to be proud about, like your favourtie team winning at whatever sport you follow. Inevitable? Who's to say, but I don't believe there was any real progress or achievement - more like coming full circle.
Eastern Europe is as free as it was in 1930 and, like then, Russia has had a new government for about 10 years.
Globally, things have changed, but I'm not sure if it's for the better. Hopefully that will be the case.
You seem to optimistic about the lessons learned. But I don't see that, I see a world rapidly running out of resources, while trying to control a population explosion already out of control in many parts of the world. Resource limitation has always been a source of conflict, and I can't see that ever changing.
I'm worried about it, because certain things are going to come to a head, probably in my lifetime and quite definitely in my children's.