The term "post-Soviet space" appeared in political science after the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). As a rule, it is understood literally geographically - this is the territory on which the former Soviet Union was located. Although many politicians, cultural scientists and economists invest much more in it.
Let’s try and we will figure it out. The post-Soviet space is what?
Geography
Perhaps the main point in understanding the term. The post-Soviet space is all the former union republics, and now independent states that emerged after the disappearance of the USSR. We will name them all by region: Baltic States - Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia; Europe - Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova (Moldova); Transcaucasia - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia; Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan), Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan), Tajikistan.
To complete the picture, possibly complicating it, we call unrecognized or partially recognized state formations, the appearance of which is caused by problems in the post-Soviet space (we will return to them below). So, Europe is the Transdniestrian Moldavian Republic, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic; Transcaucasia - the Republic of Abkhazia, the Republic of South Ossetia, the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). As a synonym that unites them all, the phrase "neighboring countries" is also used.
In geographical terms, they constitute the post-Soviet space. However, the post-Soviet space is not only geography.
Geopolitics
Political scientists do not limit the "territory" of the USSR to only square kilometers. The Union was a strong state, which had enormous spheres of influence, in fact being the ideological, and very often the economic ridge of the states that announced the socialist path of development. The Soviet Union often controlled the political situation of these countries, sometimes resorting to military intervention. The "wide" post-Soviet space included such countries as: in Europe - Poland, East Germany (GDR), Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania; in Asia - Vietnam, North Korea (DPRK); in Latin America, Cuba.
This, however, does not mean that all countries of the socialist camp were subordinate to the USSR. Therefore, the list of countries in the zones of influence of the USSR does not seem to include socialist China, Yugoslavia and Albania, which had chronic, up to the military, conflicts and disagreements. Nor do we call the numerous countries of Africa and Asia that periodically changed their political course, trying to extract useful "energy" from the geopolitical struggle of the giants - the USSR and the USA. Like the first president of Afghanistan, Mohammed Daoud, who once declared: "I feel happy when I can light my American cigarettes with Soviet matches."
The disappearance of the USSR has made great changes in different spheres of life of these states, which speaks in favor of the justification for the existence of a wider understanding of the term "post-Soviet space". That is not all that he means.
Culturology and Sociology
The overwhelming majority of the population in neighboring countries was born and raised in the USSR. She studied at Soviet schools and universities, knew the state language of the Soviet Union - Russian, lived according to the "code of the builder of communism", one way or another shared cultural Soviet values. In addition, the existence of the republics was, rather, an administrative one: although the movement of the population within the country was controlled, it was not forbidden, or even encouraged. As a result, the ethnic homogeneity of the territories was eroded, mixed marriages appeared, residents of distant regions had family ties.
The legal disappearance of the Soviet Union, a change in the system of values ​​and guidelines cannot instantly change people and cancel their family ties. That is why even the conflicting republics of the former USSR, whether they like it or not, still feel an indisputable community. To a lesser extent, this applies to the social countries of far abroad.
It is the above-described cultural scientists, sociologists and historians who also call the post-Soviet space. And it is located not on square kilometers, but in the souls and heads of people.
Problems of the post-Soviet space
Unfortunately, change is not without problems. Sometimes hard and hard. In the post-Soviet space in all its dimensions, even after a quarter of a century, there are plenty of them. We will name the most difficult ones.
Territorial disputes
What to whom? The most urgent issue during the divorce is very hot when dividing the country. And although the agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States de facto guaranteed a new state the inviolability of borders, according to their Soviet contours, these disputes have arisen, are arising and will arise.
- Firstly, the borders of the former union republics were mostly administrative in nature and were not consistent with the interests of the population, historical peculiarities, and no one in the USSR leadership thought about what would ever become a country.
- Secondly, the mobility of administrative boundaries. For example, the fact that the annexation of Abkhazia to Soviet Georgia was contrary to the desire of the indigenous people.
- Thirdly, the Soviet Union froze many interethnic conflicts that “melted away”, giving rise to a division of territories on ethnic and religious grounds. These facts provide justified and not very good reasons to arrange territorial disputes or declare independence. Well, if they are resolved peacefully. Unfortunately, the option of a protracted military conflict is the most common.
This aspect for the countries of the socialist camp is relevant only for Yugoslavia, which is still continuing division.
Nationalism
New states in every possible way are looking for reasons to advance their historical significance and strength. Everything would be fine, but at the same time it comes to restricting the functioning of languages ​​that are not native to the titular population, even if in some regions of the country they are more traditional in every sense.
Restrictions on the rights of non-indigenous people are introduced. Political movements and public organizations that promote nationalism up to extreme forms of extremism, from which one step to fascism, are not prohibited, but even supported. Part of all this is Russophobia. It so happened historically that in the imperial space and in the Soviet Union, the state-forming people were Russians.
Moreover, the principles of internationalism were promoted in the USSR and, although the leadership of Russians was de facto recognized, it was always emphasized: yes, there are backward peoples, but this is only due to historical circumstances, with due development and attention, people of all nations are equal. Unfortunately, as a reaction to such actions, the ideas of nationalism have the basis for development in Russia.
The rampant Russophobia is observed in many countries of the former socialist camp. True, in many ways it is connected, rather, with a long historical past (in the case of Poland). However, nationalism in catalysis with a territorial dispute led to a terrible Serbo-Croatian war.
Breaking economic ties
The regulated economy of the Soviet Union was destroyed, having already brought down the economies of the young states at the start and “securing” a low standard of living, unemployment, crime, and other such “joys”.
Countries with great economic potential (Russia and Kazakhstan) have managed to get on their feet over time. The course of Belarus in the post-Soviet space is respectable. She, one of the very few countries, was able to avoid the main problems of the commonality of the former USSR countries.
It was difficult for the socialist countries. Within the framework of the socialist CMEA (Commonwealth of Economic Mutual Aid), their economies interacted with the Soviet and with each other. In the new reality, within the framework of the European Union, they experienced shock and awe, feeling their uselessness. The search for a place in the global economy is still ongoing.
CIS to solve problems
The Commonwealth of Independent States was created precisely to solve problems within the framework of one community and pursue a coordinated policy in the post-Soviet space. The former republics of the USSR are included on a voluntary basis. The CIS authorities are responsible for economic, cultural and security issues. Unfortunately, not all states are included in its composition. Some of him had already left. Although the Commonwealth is a good platform for mutual understanding. However, other forms are possible. Similar, for example, the initiative of Belarus to create the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
After all, the main thing is that we all live, if not together, then all the same nearby: good neighbors are better than bad ones.