Russian politics and economics have long been structured around the environmental composition of the country – in essence, the abundance of natural energy. Throughout its relatively brief history, subsequent to the 1917 revolution, the Soviet Union experienced an array of political leadership. With each new leader came a slightly new direction for the country. Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev each made their own distinctive imprint in the country’s history while carrying out policies that ultimately served state interests first. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 came certain anticipations as to what the face of the new state would look like. After years of collectivization, socialized agriculture, and the nationalization of industries, practices first implemented in the Stalin Era as the means to achieve economic power, the USSR eventually fell. This collapse of the largest and longest lasting communist regime allowed the forthcoming of “new” ideas on government. However, as new Russian history is unfolding, we are seeing not a shift towards new ideas but rather a return to old ones.
USSR AS A SUPERPOWER
“Beginning in 1921, Lenin's Soviet government made industrial modernization a priority. But it was under Stalin that the system of central planning was fully developed and the industrialization of the Russian Republic reached its peak. Throughout the Stalin period, investment resources were directed into heavy manufacturing at the expense of consumer or light industry” (RussiansAbroad).
During the Cold War, the USSR enjoyed years of strong control on the state’s commerce and a tightening of domestic investment of business. It was during this time that Soviets sought to discourage and ultimately restrict foreign investment. Every move during this time was characterized by unwavering loyalty to the state. There was no such thing as personal improvement. Improvement efforts were to be dedicated solely to the Soviet state. All “energies” were focused on sustaining the USSR’s superpower status. Soviet militaristic goals were also achieved during this time. Though the USSR could now assert itself with the only other world player of the time, the United States, influence on smaller entities, like Chechnia, was still questionable.
RETURN OF A SUPERPOWER
When the USSR finally collapsed in 1991, the future of the state was undoubtedly uncertain. However by realizing Russia’s energy potential, the country quickly grew the economy into a people’s economy full of private investment and ownership. These economic freedoms, which were otherwise unknown during the Soviet-era, contributed to the boost in morale and hope for the baby-country. While the USSR experienced some of the best possible militaristic achievements, Russia post-1991 struggled to assert itself on a global stage. That would soon come to an end though.
Perhaps it was nostalgia for previous times of power and, ultimately, a voice that pushed President Vladimir Putin to kick the country into high-gear and demand the return of Russia to superpower status. To achieve such a goal would be preposterous – after all, prior to Putin coming into power, Russia had just experience an economic melt-down in 1998 that for sure sent the state into frenzy. It was his vision and swift and thought-out policy plans that would transform the country practically overnight.
With the control of Russia practically all his, Putin emphasized the need for business to be nationalized. He feared that private owners of business don’t always act in the best interest of the state. In his view, “if left on their own, private owners become too absorbed in pursuing their own interest and are more interested in damaging their competitors than helping the state” (Goldman, 98). It was this firm stance on government control that would be an ever-reoccurring theme throughout his rule. With business seized by the state, Russia could now use companies like Gazprom as a vessel to carry out national interests and policy. By using the major energy producing company as a bargaining tool, it put Russia back on the map and reasserted itself in a much broader financial arena. The utter dependency of Russian GDP on oil production accounted for Putin’s 100% devotion to such political and economic policy. Realizing internal struggles with tax evasion and corruption, Putin introduced a flat tax of 13% as the means to lessen the incentive to cheat, a practice that had long been performed. With his focus on economic growth, Putin also sought to remove the bureaucratic mess that ultimately slowed down business and discouraged entrepreneurs (Goldman, 96).
With all this focus on the economy, it could be argued that militaristic goals went unnoticed and unrealized. Perhaps this is true as today we still have yet to see Russia reassert itself militarily. However, with only a month into being Prime Minister, Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Chechnia as a way of reasserting Russia’s authority there (Goldman, 94). Though this was a small endeavor in the big scope of things, it does say something about Putin’s piercing vision for the country – to regain the immense and fearsome control it had during the Soviet-era. As Marx would say though – Does the end justify the means?
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt Russia has rebounded after swiftly taking over control of, and nationalizing, gas and oil. The state, in its infant stages, went from times of doubt and uncertainty, to a place of clear vision and relative prosper. What happened though to the freedoms gained with the collapse of the USSR? With business once again being nationalized and more restrictions on foreign investment being made, Putin, in ways, pushed Russia in a 180 degree rotation back to the ways Soviets used to run things. By putting politics and business on the same page, Putin effectively launched the country’s idealistic vision for the future practically by himself. This practice reeks of a return to authoritarianism and has ultimately made Russia less transparent in its efforts to reassert itself in the world. With threats of cutting off gas to reliant countries and having the life line to the rest of Europe, Russia has strategically put itself in a win-win position - having the voice of a superpower and the wealth needed to sustain it. It is noted that Putin has been extremely popular amongst the Russian people. This is a man who practically transformed a blooming country while returning it to its previous status: a ferocious world player – most certainly not afraid to play dirty.
WORKS CITED
Goldman, Marshall I. Petrostate: Putin, power and the new Russia.
Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008.
"Russia: Manufacturing.” History Russians Abroad. RussiansAbroad.
17 Mar. 2009 < http://www.russiansabroad.com/russian_history_226.html>.
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