It’s hard to describe in a short post what was Yeltsin’s period like and how it gradually transformed into Putin’s period, but let me try.
In a few words, Yeltsin’s time can be described as a deep crisis: economic, moral, ideological, political. The old totalitarian system (the USSR) was completely destroyed, and no new one was yet created. It was a period of chaos. It’s hard to find analogy to describe how it was like, because it really was a unique situation. The only similar example that comes to mind is a jungle: no rules, no restrictions, only wild and free nature. The old laws didn’t work any longer, and the new ones didn’t work yet. It was almost complete anarchy. It was horrible. It was wonderful.
If you were a middle-aged person with family and children, then you had to face this new reality and literally struggle for survival. Many people couldn’t cope: some died of heart attacks, some committed suicide, some started drinking alcohol, some became criminals, and some left the country. Corruption was thriving. Those who were accustomed to or needed the government support, especially the elderly people, were in a very difficult situation.
We received one cold shower after another: two wars in Chechnya, numerous ruble devaluations, crimes, violence, and frauds. We were constantly alert, we knew that everything is our own hands and we should take care of ourselves and our families without waiting anything from the government. People had to care about everything themselves: how to feed their families, how to cure them, how to warm their houses in winter: we literally installed stoves in our apartments and burnt wood or coal.
I was a teenager. For us this new era was the era of freedom: new horizons, new possibilities, new information, new world. Just imagine: almost empty shelves of the ex-Soviet shops became immediately flooded with goods from all over the world. There was a huge vacuum on the Russian market of goods and services, which was a huge possibility for everyone who was willing and able. As students, almost everyone combined their study with work: to make one’s ends meet and to taste this new life. If you work, you can afford these new fancy clothes, new gadgets, travelling, night clubs – whatever you like. If you don’t work, you can’t afford anything. Anyone could start their small business with no real control from the government. If you were an English teacher, for example, you could open and English speaking club just like that: you simply pay the rent and invite students. No taxes, no inspections, no official salary: just money in the envelope earned by your student in the same way somewhere else.
There is a famous quote by JF Kennedy:
Intentionally or not, Yeltsin appeared to be among the greatest liberals of all times: never before and never after were we so brutally free.
But the chaos cannot last forever. Since Yeltsin introduced private property, people started looking for the ways to protect it. Those were very radical ways at first: like weapons, high fences and heavy locks, but gradually the new laws started to work.
Some people enjoyed this new liberalism; some wanted “back in USSR.” Little by little, the ruling elite finally chose its way somewhere in between. There were the liberals, the communists, and the newly emerging force called the United Russia who at the same time were both and neither. They managed to unite the major part of Russian people with the idea of new democracy combined with the socialist heritage. This was already Putin’s era.
So how should we treat Yeltsin? And how did he assess his work himself? On December 31st 1999, he addressed the Russian people with his final speech: he voluntarily decided to resign before term.
How many country leaders do we know who would voluntarily transfer their power to another person? How many country leaders do we know who would ask their people to forgive him with tears in his eyes? I couldn’t find a video in English, so here is the transcript of his final speech:
Despite all of his failures, Yeltsin is still respected by many Russian politicians.
In a few words, Yeltsin’s time can be described as a deep crisis: economic, moral, ideological, political. The old totalitarian system (the USSR) was completely destroyed, and no new one was yet created. It was a period of chaos. It’s hard to find analogy to describe how it was like, because it really was a unique situation. The only similar example that comes to mind is a jungle: no rules, no restrictions, only wild and free nature. The old laws didn’t work any longer, and the new ones didn’t work yet. It was almost complete anarchy. It was horrible. It was wonderful.
If you were a middle-aged person with family and children, then you had to face this new reality and literally struggle for survival. Many people couldn’t cope: some died of heart attacks, some committed suicide, some started drinking alcohol, some became criminals, and some left the country. Corruption was thriving. Those who were accustomed to or needed the government support, especially the elderly people, were in a very difficult situation.
We received one cold shower after another: two wars in Chechnya, numerous ruble devaluations, crimes, violence, and frauds. We were constantly alert, we knew that everything is our own hands and we should take care of ourselves and our families without waiting anything from the government. People had to care about everything themselves: how to feed their families, how to cure them, how to warm their houses in winter: we literally installed stoves in our apartments and burnt wood or coal.
I was a teenager. For us this new era was the era of freedom: new horizons, new possibilities, new information, new world. Just imagine: almost empty shelves of the ex-Soviet shops became immediately flooded with goods from all over the world. There was a huge vacuum on the Russian market of goods and services, which was a huge possibility for everyone who was willing and able. As students, almost everyone combined their study with work: to make one’s ends meet and to taste this new life. If you work, you can afford these new fancy clothes, new gadgets, travelling, night clubs – whatever you like. If you don’t work, you can’t afford anything. Anyone could start their small business with no real control from the government. If you were an English teacher, for example, you could open and English speaking club just like that: you simply pay the rent and invite students. No taxes, no inspections, no official salary: just money in the envelope earned by your student in the same way somewhere else.
There is a famous quote by JF Kennedy:
Yeltsin woke us up. He showed us the real world “as is,” with no softening pills. He gave us a chance to express ourselves. He taught us how to be strong, responsible, creative, active, thinking. He showed us how to cooperate for our mutual benefit and survival.
Intentionally or not, Yeltsin appeared to be among the greatest liberals of all times: never before and never after were we so brutally free.
But the chaos cannot last forever. Since Yeltsin introduced private property, people started looking for the ways to protect it. Those were very radical ways at first: like weapons, high fences and heavy locks, but gradually the new laws started to work.
Some people enjoyed this new liberalism; some wanted “back in USSR.” Little by little, the ruling elite finally chose its way somewhere in between. There were the liberals, the communists, and the newly emerging force called the United Russia who at the same time were both and neither. They managed to unite the major part of Russian people with the idea of new democracy combined with the socialist heritage. This was already Putin’s era.
So how should we treat Yeltsin? And how did he assess his work himself? On December 31st 1999, he addressed the Russian people with his final speech: he voluntarily decided to resign before term.
How many country leaders do we know who would voluntarily transfer their power to another person? How many country leaders do we know who would ask their people to forgive him with tears in his eyes? I couldn’t find a video in English, so here is the transcript of his final speech:
Despite all of his failures, Yeltsin is still respected by many Russian politicians.
Probably they ran out of Noble peace prizes.
I would like to read your comments from the first hand.