The Post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the independent nations which split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its breakup in 1991.
Post-Soviet states are subject to various developments in geography, history, politics, economy, and culture in the post-Soviet era, the time after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in the period following Communist Party rule.
States and geographical groupings
Each of the regions has its own common set of traits, owing not only to geographic and cultural factors but also that region's history in relation to Russia. The post-Soviet states are typically divided into the following five groupings.
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Russia because of its uniquely dominant role in the region is generally treated as a category unto itself.
The Eastern European states had their history intermingled with Russia from its earliest existence as a state, while Central Asia and the Transcaucasus were not conquered by Moscow until the 18th or 19th century. The Baltic states were historically independent (or ruled by Germany, Sweden or Poland) for significant periods in their history.
Economies
While the peoples of the former Soviet Republics were anxious to accept the freedoms of capitalism, it quickly became apparent that weening from five year plans was easier said than done. The gross domestic product in the former Soviet Republics (excluding the Baltic States) immediately went down, totaling only 86% of its 1991 volume. In 1994, inflation reached 400% in Ukraine, and 1258% in Kazakhstan, but was comparitively lower in the Baltic states (reaching only 45.1% in Lithuania.) 1995 was the absolute nadir of the economic plague in the Former Soviet Republics. Although most nations (the exceptions being Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) have yet to top their gross domestic products in 1991 as parts of the Soviet Union, conditions have (for the most part) been improving since 1995, although the Russian economic crisis of 2000 is notable.
The reasons for Capitalism's short-term apparent failure in the post-Soviet States has been a subject of debate. The most important factors are the the fact that due to a lack of properly done decommunization large parts of the economies have fallen into the hands of former Soviet apparatchiks, and the homo sovieticus mentality of the generations who have lived all their lives under communism.
Regional organizations
A number of international organizations and cooperating blocs have sprung up in the region since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The three Baltic states have not sought membership to any of these post-Soviet organizations, seeking and achieving membership in the European Union and NATO instead. Turkmenistan, besides its membership in the CIS, has not sought closer integration in any of the Western or post-Soviet organizations. The other countries have a mixed record of participation.
In this section those organizations are mentioned which are mainly (or completely) composed of post-Soviet states. Organizations with much wider memberships are not discussed.
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) consists of 12 of the 15 former Soviet Republics, with the exception of the Baltics. It's been said to have been created to "allow a civilised divorce" between the republics, but its members have since signed a number of documents promoting closer cooperation instead.
Since then, six member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia) have enhanced their military cooperation, establishing the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Five other member states established the GUUAM group that was largely seen as intending to counter Russian dominance in the region. Turkmenistan is the only CIS state that sought membership in neither of these blocs.
Eurasian Economic Community
The Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC) was established by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, having grown out of the CIS Customs Union. Ukraine and Moldova have observer status in the community, however Ukraine has declared its desire not to become a full member state. Because having common borders with the rest of the community is a prerequisite for full membership, this also prevents Moldova from seeking it.
Union of Russia and Belarus
The Union of Russia and Belarus was originally formed on April 2, 1996 under the name "Community of Russia and Belarus", before being tightened further on April 3, 1997. It was initiated by the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.
On paper, the Union of Russia and Belarus intends further integration, beyond the scope of mere cooperation, including the introduction of the Russian ruble as a common currency.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), is composed of China and five post-Soviet states, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The organization was founded in 2001, though its predecessor, the Shanghai Five grouping, has existed since 1996. Its aims revolve around security-related issues.
Central Asian Cooperation Organization
The Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) was first initiated by all five Central Asian nations in 1991 as the Central Asian Commonwealth. Later Turkmenistan followed a policy of isolation, withdrawing from participation in all regional forums, while Russia joined the (now renamed) CACO in 2004.
Governments
There are varying degrees of freedom among the Post-Soviet states. Freedom House's 2005 report listed the following:
Similarly, the Worldwide Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, recorded the following as regards press freedom:
It has been remarked that several post-Soviet states have not changed leadership since their independence. Such leaders have been Saparmurat Niyazov in Turkmenistan, Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan, and Nursultan Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan. All of these had originally more limited terms but through decrees or referenda prolonged their stay in office (a practice also followed by President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus). Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan had likewise served as President since its independence until he was forced to resign as a result of the Kyrgyz revolution of 2005.
The issue of dynastical succession has been another element affecting the politics of some post-Soviet States, with Ilham Aliyev following up on the presidency of his father (Heydar Aliyev) in Azerbaijan, and theories about the children of other leaders in Central Asia also being groomed for succession. [1] The participation of Akayev's son and daughter in the 2005 Kyrgyz parliamentary elections boosted fears of dynastic succession being used in Kyrgyzstan as well, and may have contributed to the anti-Akayev climate that led to his overthrow.
Wars and conflicts
Separatist conflicts
Most military conflicts in the post-Soviet space have had to do with the separatist desires of territories with different ethnic or religious demographics than the majority of the state they're officially recognized as part of.
Such territories and resulting military conflicts have so far been:
Out of these regions, Ajaria has been fully reincorporated into Georgia and the conflict there has ended peacefully. Separatist leader Aslan Abashidze fled to Russia where he was granted asylum.
After two bloody wars Chechnya is under the control of the central Russian government, but the conflict there has not yet ended.
Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the other hand, have achieved de facto independence which is however unrecognized by any other country in the world — a Russian military presence exists in all three of these territories. Nagorno-Karabakh has likewise achieved a de facto independence, with Armenian troops having control of all the territory and even of neighboring parts of Azerbaijan. Since 1994 these four regions have made an agreement of mutual assistance, and their leaders have in several occasions reiterated such pledges. [2][3] [4]
Other civil wars
Civil wars unrelated to separatist regions have occurred twice in the region:
Color revolutions
Lastly, since 2003, a number of (largely) peaceful "color revolutions" has happened in three post-Soviet states after disputed elections, with popular protests bringing into power the former opposition.
See also
Last updated: 05-28-2005 01:53:01
