Gramps,
Years ago during a seminar, the presenter stated that because the babushaks keep the young children while parents worked, that the babushakas were somewhat
responsible for teaching the young children about freedoms. When these children grew, their beliefs helped collapse communism as known 50 years ago.
True or false?
Dr. William Oliver
Dear Dr. Oliver,
If you will permit a couple of corrections, the term that you are using is spelled babushka. A babushka is technically a scarf, tied under the chin, that is normally worn by older women. However, in Russia the term in never used to refer to a scarf, which is called a platok. Babushka, the plural of which is babushki, is used to refer to older women and the women were referred to as babushki because of their scarfs. However, although the older women often tended young children, the term, babushka, was never used to refer to babysitters.
Now to your question: The older, pre-communist generation was deeply religious. But at that time there was nothing secret about Christianity. During the communist regime religion was severely suppressed, and it is possible to imagine that the older generation baby sitters secretly taught the children Christianity, with its accompanying philosophy of freedom. But to suppose that their secret teaching helped to destroy the communist regime is unimaginable. Communism came down as a result of the preponderant power of the West and the inability of communism to begin to match the arms race. It was also seriously weakened by the high level of corruption within the communist party.
Gramps