"Freedom! What do you mean, freedom? The Soviet Complex is the most highly
industrialized area of the world. Our people have the highest standard of
living anywhere. Don't they understand? We've met all the promises we ever
made. We've reached far and beyond the point ever dreamed of by Utopians.
The people, all of the people, have it made as the Americans say."
"Except for freedom," Simonov said doggedly. "These groups are springing
up everywhere, spontaneously. Thus far, perhaps, our ministry has been
able to suppress some of them. But the pace is accelerating. They aren't
inter-organized now. But how soon they'll start to be, I don't know.
Sooner or later, someone is going to come up with a unifying idea. A new
socio-political system to advocate a way of guaranteeing the basic
liberties. Then, of course, the fat will be in the fire."
"Ilya! You've been working too hard. I've pushed you too much, relied on
you too much. You need a good lengthy vacation."