1923 Richard Pipes born

95 years ago, on July 11, 1923, in Cieszyn (Poland), Richard Pipes (Ryszard Pipes), an American historian and political scientist, a specialist in Russia, was born. He headed the Center for the Study of Russia at Harvard University, and in 1981-1982 he headed the Eastern European and Soviet departments of the National Security Council and became one of the authors of the Reagan Doctrine of containing the USSR as an "evil empire." His most famous books are Russia Under the Old Regime, The Russian Revolution and Russia Under the Bolshevik Regime.

Pipes said: “In the face of tragedy, the historian is not at all obliged to remain a completely impassive observer, and if sometimes I could not hide my own excitement, this should not be taken as evidence of an “unscientific” approach. Aristotle, who taught moderation in everything, made an exception here, saying, that "those who are not angry with what should be angry should be considered fools. And where obvious injustice reigns between people, the very place is for anger."