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.