USSR: 20 Years Later

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Союз Советских Социалистических Республик) officially dissolved 20 years ago today. I was too young at the time to notice what was happening, but from what I have since learned it seems that no one (Soviet or Western) thought that the USSR would collapse. Now, 20 years later, Russia is rocked with protesters again calling on Putin to resign as Prime Minister and urging for free elections and real democracy. It seems not everyone - especially the young - are willing to let the status quo continue. While the old want the return of the Soviet Union and Communism the young are now starting to speak for real reform that has never come to Russia.

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union many things have changed. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are now all part of the European Union, the Schengen Area and NATO with Estonia also part of the Eurozone. There have been wars in: Tajikistan, Georgia, Russia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan . There have been revolutions in: Kyyrgyzstan, the Ukraine and Georgia. The same people who ruled the former Soviet Republics in the dying days of the USSR are still in power which is one reason the people in the former Soviet Union are starting to call for real change in their countries.

I am surprised by what 20 years has not brought to most of the former Soviet Republics. You would think that if people wanted real change than it could be done in 2 decades or at least lay the foundations for real change. I have been to Russia and the Ukraine and from what I personally saw things on the surface seem to have changed very little. I hope that it doesn't take another 20 years to bring the countries of the former USSR into true democracies.