In the late 18th century,
Catherine the Great of Russia announced she would tour the southern part of her
empire, accompanied by several foreign ambassadors. The governor of the area,
Grigory Potemkin, desperately wanted to impress these visitors. And so he went
to remarkable lengths to showcase the country’s accomplishments.
For part of the journey,
Catherine floated down the Dnieper River, proudly pointing out to the
ambassadors the thriving hamlets along the shore, filled with industrious and
happy townspeople. There was only one problem: it was all for show. It is said
that Potemkin had assembled pasteboard facades of shops and homes. He had even
positioned busy-looking peasants to create the impression of a prosperous
economy. Once the party disappeared around the bend of the river, Potemkin’s
men packed up the fake village and rushed it downstream in preparation for
Catherine’s next pass.
Although modern historians have
questioned the truthfulness of this story, the term “Potemkin village” has
entered the world’s vocabulary. It now refers to any attempt to make others
believe we are better than we really are.