History/ 2. General History
The comparative analysis of the socio-economic
condition of the Soviet republics of Central Asia in the early 90s of the
twentieth century
Koldybaeva S.S., ñandidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor
Selkhanova A.K., a
student of the 4th course, KSU named
after A.Baitursynov
Disintegration of
the Soviet Union in 1991 showed that the Central Asian republics were the least
prepared for the independence. Heads of
the Central Asian republics were not sought to disintegration of the USSR, but
were forced to support the declarations
of independence prepared by the republican parliaments. Compared with the riots
in the other parts of the USSR, the situation in Central Asia in the last days
of Soviet history was very calm. Except Tajikistan, where the signs of internal
political struggle were already born. Situation in Tajikistan showed the
dangers that had been hiding in the independence. Considering the economic
difficulties faced by the new governments after the collapse of the USSR, none
of the leaders didn’t feel protected from the possibility of civil unrest.
However, even before the disintegration of the USSR in the early nineties of
the ÕÕ century, there was
a rise of social movements initiated in the wake of perestroika in the
mid-1980s. Significantly, it
appeared in Kyrgyzstan. The main reasons for this were socio-economic factors:
the scarcity of natural resources and a weakness of economy. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan was
heavily relied on subsidies of the center. General situation in the Central
Asian republics in this period was characterized by an increase in negative
trends in the economic and social spheres of life. Attempts to the transition
to a market economy led to a sharp break of economic ties established in the
past, which led to a decrease in production and living standards of the
population. This situation was
strongly reflected the Kyrgyz economy due to the lack of domestic energy
resources and the lack of ability to export hydrocarbons to the foreign
markets, while in neighboring Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, its presence allowed
to reduce the social costs during the restructuring period [1].
Compared with the
Kyrgyz Republic socio-economic situation of the Tajik SSR can be called more
dependent on financial, technological and technical assistance of the Union
republics. Subsidized part of the budget in 1989-1990-s was 18.5% of GDP of the
country. So, the formed structure of production characterized by a deep degree
of integration with the union republics, especially in the industrial sector. It
wasn’t dictated by the economic needs of the country, but by the needs of
demand that was developed within the broad division of labor in the Soviet
Union. At the same time Tajikistan specialized in the supplies of agricultural
products. As well as the other republics of Central Asia, Turkmenistan went up
to it’s independence as a deeply integrated part of the Union economy, which
was an important source of natural gas and cotton. During the Soviet era
Turkmenistan became an industrial-agrarian republic. However, Turkmenistan,
unlike of its regional neighbors, was not subsidized republic, on the contrary
it subsidized Union budget [2]. Socio - economic situation in Uzbekistan to the
early 90's was sufficiently controversial. On the one hand there were some economic
successes: more than a hundred industries were developed, more than a thousand
companies were high-tech. On the other hand, the economy of Uzbekistan emerged
as a raw exaggerated. Export of raw material without recycling was 80%, but the
income from these industries and businesses went directly to the Union budget,
bypassing Republican [3]. This
situation led to negative social consequences – to a low level of national
income of UzSSR compared with other republics and to a low level of social
security of the population. Feature of economic development of Kazakhstan to
the early 90-ies of XX century was a large inflow of labor from the European
part of the USSR in the war and post-war periods that was reflected overall
economic growth. In the early 90-ies, Kazakhstan was still focused on raw
unilateral specialization. The country's leadership maintained the gigantomania
in industrial construction. By the indicators of socio-economic development
Kazakhstan was on a middle position in the list of the union countries. It
began to build an independent state and a market economy with large structural
imbalances in the economy, without its own transport outputs to international
markets, with serious social problems.
So to the early
90-ies of the XX century Central Asian republics came as deeply integrated
republics of the Soviet Union, and economically were completely dependent of
the center. However, as parts of a union, each of the Central Asian republics
had its own characteristics and took its own place in the Soviet economy. Thus,
Kazakhstan had unilateral raw specialization, Turkmenistan, being the industrial-agrarian
republic, was an important source of natural gas and cotton, Tajikistan
specialized in supply of agricultural products. The implementation of the complex
of economic and social changes led to fundamental changes in social
relations in the countries of the region. Similarities and differences between
socio-economic development in the early 90-ies had identified the
characteristics of each of the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and
reflected in their condition in the future.
List of references
1 Laumulin M.T. Central Asia in the foreign
political science and global geopolitics. - Almaty: KISR under the President (in
five volumes) - 2009. – 440p.
2 Tagaev J. Market and social development of
Tajikistan. - Dushanbe.: Irfon, 1997. 192 p.
3 Martha Brill Olcott. Second Chance of Central
Asia; Carnegie Center; Carnegie Endowment for International World. - Moscow;
Washington, 2005. - 487 p.