  he transformation of a nation from a Soviet or Soviet-dominated past into a full-fledged democracy and free-market economy differs from country to country. For some it has been a rapid, if painful process, completed in the span of a few years. For others it drags on for decades.
Some countries, notably the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, were always restless in the Soviet Union, and there was a national desire to go free long before the forced integration of the post-WWII period was finally reversed and independence achieved. These countries, and Estonia in particular, embraced their future energetically, from the outset making radical changes on every level of government and the economy.
For the Soviet satellite states of Central and East Europe, the more independent-minded the people and government, the quicker their transformation. Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia all made radical changes out of the box and moved as fast as they could to make it across the transition and into the Euro-Atlantic system dominated by the United States and European Union.
No surprise, then, that these countries were the first to gain membership in the EU and NATO. Other satellite states have trundled along behind, in many cases taking much more time to turn around, due to everything from poor political leadership to resistance to change among bureaucrats and private citizens alike, and in some cases outright nostalgia for the good old days when the state took care of your needs from cradle to grave.
Mother Russia herself has had a rough ride through transition years. Yes, the role of government has been radically diminished, and the private opportunities for business and creativity have flourished. But a deep-seated nationalism that responds to strong leaders has made Russia a special case.
Read more...
|
