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Vol. 74 No. 1 (2021): Powrót miast. Miasta przyszłości

Diplomatic Cabinet

Lesson of political realism: The visit of Nicolae Ceaușescu to the United States in April 1978

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35757/SM.2021.74.1.09
Submitted: October 22, 2021
Published: October 22, 2021

Abstract

In April 1978 Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu visited the United States. He met with his counterpart Jimmy Carter and discussed current bilateral and multilateral issues. Romanian agenda for that visit was to strengthen the country’s independence in the Soviet Bloc and to increase the international recognition of its leader. US agenda was to diversify the Soviet Bloc and to influence Romanian leadership to orient its internal policy towards respecting the human rights.
This point was not reached. US achieved only the goals that could be described as belonging to “political realism”. Ceaușescu was not open for any idealistic principles and avoided the human rights topics. It was the last visit in the US of any leader of the Soviet Bloc countries before Gorbachev came to power.

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