Yeltsin - too much too soon

Boris Yeltsin, who died today, apparently from a heart attack, at the age of 76 is a monumental figure in the history of modern Russia but , at a time when the Soviet Union reached meltdown, I would contend that Yeltsin was the wrong man to pick up the reins when the new Russia came into existence.

Having been elected President of the Russian Republic six months before the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, Yeltsin became first President of an independent Russia for nearly 70 years.

So much faith was placed in him at the start of his presidential rule but in 1992 Yeltsin brought in a capitalist economy virtually overnight, axing Soviet price controls, cutting state spending and creating a market ripe for exploitation. Inflation increased multi fold almost overnight and the living conditions of the average Russian citizen became extremely poor. The only winners it seems were the business oligarchs who made billions of dollars out of the new privatised economy while the average Russian, promised a share of the new wealth received virtually nothing.

Such was the outrage at the efffects of Yeltsin's policies that his own deputies in Parliament turned against the reforms after which Yeltsin disbanded Parliament by decree. In return Parliament announced that Yeltsin had been removed from office after a vote of no confidence and they refused to leave the building.

Despite his difficulties Yeltsin had retained the loyalty of the Russian army and, on Oct 3 1993, the army shelled the Parliament building, blasting out his opponents. Yeltsin, though he might have won the battle, effectively lost the war as the economic situation went downhill at a rapid rate with Yeltsin seemingly incapable of any policies to stop it.

His behaviour became more and more bizarre with episodes of drunken behaviour on foreign soil increasing and causing him to miss dinners and appointments due to 'illness and fatigue'.

Despite this Yeltsin obtained a second term as President in 1996 narrowly beating his Communist opponent but was then taken ill with heart problems and needed a by pass. The remainder of his time in office was a roller coaster as he survived another attempt to oust him, once again fired all his Ministers and still Russia was sliding ever deeper into economic disaster.

By 2000 he was a sick man but it was still a surprise when he handed over the reins to Vladimir Putin , the current leader of the nation.

Many people look back at that crucial year of 1991 and wish that, despite his Communist past, the new Russia had embraced the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (pictured left). Change would certainly have been slower but it would have come, and Russia would have been in the hands of a cautious and thoughtful politician. Instead the Russian people opted for a passionate, lovable bear of a man with a love for vodka and a strong anti Communist passion. It is unfortunate for the Russian people, still living with his legacy, that his passion was not matched by any political acumen - certainly nowhere near enough to cope with the awesome task he was given.