without the russians to obstruct them, these bodies helped to usher in what the marxist historian eddie hobsbornuefully christened the golden age of capitalism. the standard of living of ordinary people rose to levels that would have astonished our grandparents. there were regional wars, but no direct clash between the superpowers and the economic technological and military superiority of the west eventually reached such a peak that the communist system was forced into first reform, then surrender, and finally liquidation. none of this, however, was preordained. it happened in large part because of what churchill said here 50 years ago. he spoke at a watershed. once set international institutions shown themselves to be wanting, another had yet to be born. and it was his speech, not the force celebrated by marx, which turned out to be the midwife of history. today we are at what could be a similar watershed. the long twilight struggle of the cold war ended five years ago with complete victory for the west and for the subject peoples of the communist empire, and i very much include the russian peo