Yearning for the Soviet Union

While one could simply put such a statement down to Putin's imperialistic instincts and his desire to build a powerful nation, it would seem that he is certainly not the only person with regrets over the collapse of the USSR. Some 22 years since its break-up there remains a yearning for days gone by from many of the peoples who now live in the independent states that rose from the ashes of the USSR, despite all the horror stories associated with Soviet rule.

A recent survey carried about by well-known pollster organization Gallup concluded that high numbers of people living in many of the states of the former USSR believe the breakup brought more harm than good. In fact, of the 11 countries that were part of the survey, only in three countries -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan -- did the majority of those polled believe the breakup had a positive result. Interestingly, the most closed state, Turkmenistan, had the highest figure of 62 percent, with only 8 percent believing it had been harmful.

All three countries have one thing in common: They are all oil and gas producing nations. Under the Soviet Union, their hydrocarbons were controlled by Moscow, which created a lot of bitterness. Moreover, having these natural resources has allowed all three countries to develop quicker than many others in the region, although much of this wealth has been kept in the hands of those in power. It has also allowed them more space to carve out more independent foreign policies, giving them greater visibility and power on the world stage.

Residents from the other seven countries which were polled believed that the collapse harmed their countries rather than benefiting them. A staggering 66 percent of those polled in Armenia stated the break up harmed their country, followed by Kyrgyzstan with 61 percent. Even in Ukraine, which was one of the first countries to pull away from the USSR, with a referendum in 1991 resulting in the majority of the population voting for independence, some 56 percent stated the breakup had harmed their lives. Ukraine, unlike the Baltic States, which were offered the prospect of EU membership, was left in a gray zone, which has certainly played a part in the country's inability to modernize and reform.

Still, overall, I think the results are not that surprising. Life since the breakup has not been easy. The expectation that independence would bring a much freer and prosperous life has not materialized. Rather, after having predictable -- if controlled -- lives, overnight there was chaos, with many societies not welcoming the change at all. In the blink of an eye they lost pensions, free healthcare and a good system of education, while moving from a centrally planned economy to a free market one was also very difficult.

Many in this region have had to live through revolutions, wars, economic collapses, territorial disputes, and today, more than two decades on, most of the 11 countries have poor governance, pandemic corruption and weak extractive state institutions, with many people living on the breadline or worse. Many states continue to be ruled by authoritarian leaders, with the expected freedoms yet to materialize.

Furthermore, while the Soviet époque may be gone, in many cases the “Soviet mentality” is still alive and kicking, which has hobbled the modernization of many states, with the remaining Soviet “educated” elites pocketing whatever wealth there is. Furthermore, while they are independent, Russia has tried to keep its influence in all those countries alive -- in one way or another continuing to exert considerable political and economic influence over all.

Still, when looking at the results from the younger generation, the picture is different. Adults between the ages of 14 and 44 are nearly three times as likely as those 65 and older to say the collapse benefited their countries. Therefore, as time goes by, a new generation -- many Western-educated -- will take up the reins of power, which should offer the opportunity for real change, reform and modernization which will hopefully bring a new quality of life for society as a whole and not just the big cats at the top.