The Expedient Turn to Collaboration

Abstract

In history there is, of course, nothing permanent. Yesterday’s enemies may become today’s allies. The development of relations between Western multinational corporations and the Communist regimes since the Second World War bears witness to this rule. The strange marriage of convenience between these natural antagonists evident since the early 1960s — against a previous background of mutual fear, contempt and incompatibility — must be regarded as one of the most paradoxical cases of bilateral volte-face in recent history. Recriminations of the type considered in the preceding chapter, although by no means openly repudiated, appear to have been conveniently forgotten in favour of collaboration to mutual advantage.