SPECTATORS FOR EASTERN EUROPE

NOWADAYS, it is fashionable to use big words and to mention large numbers when speaking of aid for Eastern Europe. West- ern leaders talk of suppporting democracy with billions of pounds, and hope to encourage economic reform with better loan guarantees. This is an odd belief, since the lessons of the four years which have passed since 1989 are entirely oppo- site. In fact, those countries which have reformed the most successfully — Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic — were ahead of the game because they under- stood Western business and political cul- ture better than others: they knew more about democracy, and knew why they would want to have it. For those countries, gifts of information, of books, and of ideas have been far more important in promot- ing democracy than gifts of economic aid.

In 1988, we attempted to bring the out- side world to Eastern Europe, by launch- ing a campaign to send half-price subscriptions of The Spectator to Poland. Later, as walls fell and magazines became easier to deliver all over Eastern Europe, we broadened the campaign to include Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bul- garia and the ex-Soviet Union. Our read- ers gave with overwhelming generosity 200 subscriptions one year, 500 subscrip- tions the next — and the response from East Europeans told us that we were right in thinking that The Spectator, while not edible or spendible, would at least provoke interest in Western ways, and get its read- ers thinking more about them.

After a lifetime spent listening to misin- formation and indoctrination, one Polish reader said that a year of reading The Spectator had taught him how to think dif- ferently:

I learned a lot about conservatism, liberal- ism, free market economy, culture, litera- ture, capitalism and human rights from your magazine. So in a way you assisted me in becoming a well-rounded and, I believe, a cultured man.

From Krakow, we got the following response from a teacher whose students practise writing Letters to the editor in English, and discuss Taki's column in their English conversation classes:

The pile of Spectators is now available to our students to read on their own but I and my colleagues are also using them in our lan- guage classes. The cartoons are very useful and also Jaspistos' competitions . . . I am very, very grateful for your gift and I give silent thanks to whoever it was that brought my name to your attention.

And from Samara on the Volga, came the following plea for a new subscription:

I find The Spectator a beautiful magazine, easy to read and very interesting about all events and on good paper with splendid illustration. I shall be glad to have it. But the main obstacle, of course, how to pay for it? In our town there is no possibility to earn or exchange roubles to shillings . . .

Indeed, there is no possibility to earn shillings for many people in Eastern Europe. Ordinary people, once divided from the West by a political iron curtain, now find the economic barriers even hard- er to cross. A subscription to The Spectator could cost a Rumanian university professor more than a quarter of his average annual wage; it would bankrupt a Pole with a fami- ly to support.

We need our readers to help us keep up the subscriptions, so that we can keep sending news, ideas, and good jokes to peo- ple who would otherwise remain cut off from Western culture and political debate. Many things have changed in Eastern Europe, but the local newspapers are still suspect, most television is controlled by the state. In order to get a different point of view, or another opinion, or news about Western countries which are poorly under- stood, people need outside sources of information. It is a small gift, but it is the kind of gift which makes a difference.

As in previous years, The Spectator will make no profit from these gift subscrip- tions, which will be sold at the specially reduced rate of £45. Also as before, names and addresses of recipients will be supplied by the Mihai Eminiescu Trust and the Jag- ellonian Trust.

We are also happy to send subscriptions to other people in Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet Union, so long as the gift-givers supply us with their full names and addresses.

GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR EASTERN EUROPE

I would like to give subscription/s to an individual or institution in Eastern Europe at the subsidised rate of £45 per annual subscription.

Name Address If you wish to give the name and address of a particular individual please enclose it with your payment.

PAYMENT OPTIONS: (Equivalent US$ and Eurocheques accepted) ❑ I enclose my cheque/money order made payable to The Spectator for £/$ 0 Please charge my credit card for Please tick: VISA 0 ACCESS 0 DINERS CLUB CI Card No• Signature• Please return this form to The Spectator, 'Eastern Europe', 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL Expiry Date Date