RIP http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/23/russia.yeltsin.ap/index.html Former Russian leader Yeltsin dead POSTED: 10:02 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2007 MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- Former President Boris Yeltsin, who engineered the final collapse of the Soviet Union and pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy, has died, a Kremlin official said Monday. He was 76. Kremlin spokesman Alexander Smirnov confirmed Yeltsin's death, but gave no cause or further information. The Interfax news agency cited an unidentified medical source as saying he had died of heart failure. Although Yeltsin pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy, many of its citizens will remember him mostly for presiding over the country's steep decline. He was a contradictory figure, rocketing to popularity in the Communist era on pledges to fight corruption -- but proving unable, or unwilling, to prevent the looting of state industry as it moved into private hands during his nine years as Russia's first freely elected president. He steadfastly defended freedom of the press, but was a master at manipulating the media. He amassed as much power as possible in his office -- then gave it all up in a dramatic New Year's address at the end of 1999. Yeltsin's greatest moments came in bursts. He stood atop a tank to resist an attempted coup in August 1991, and spearheaded the peaceful end of the Soviet state on Dec. 25 of that year. Ill with heart problems, and facing possible defeat by a Communist challenger in his 1996 re-election bid, he marshaled his energy and sprinted through the final weeks of the campaign. The challenge transformed the shaky convalescent into the spry, dancing candidate. But Yeltsin was an inconsistent reformer who never took much interest in the mundane tasks of day-to-day government, and nearly always blamed Russia's myriad problems on his subordinates. Yeltsin greatly damaged his democratic credentials by using force to solve political disputes, though he claimed his actions were necessary to keep the country together. He sent tanks and troops in October 1993 to flush armed, hard-line supporters out of a hostile Russian parliament after they had sparked violence in the streets of Moscow. And in December 1994, Yeltsin launched a war against separatists in the southern republic of Chechnya. Tens of thousands of people were killed in the Chechnya conflict, and a defeated and humiliated Russian army withdrew at the end of 1996. The war solved nothing -- and Russian troops resumed fighting in the breakaway region in fall 1999. In the final years of his presidency, Yeltsin was dogged by health problems and often seemed out of touch. He retreated regularly to his country residence outside Moscow and stayed away from the Kremlin for days, even weeks at a time. As the country lurched from crisis to crisis, its leader appeared increasingly absent. Yet Yeltsin had made a stunning debut as Russian president. He introduced many basics of democracy, guaranteeing the rights to free speech, private property and multiparty elections, and opening the borders to trade and travel. Though full of bluster, he revealed more of his personal life and private doubts than any previous Russian leader had. "The debilitating bouts of depression, the grave second thoughts, the insomnia and headaches in the middle of the night, the tears and despair ... the hurt from people close to me who did not support me at the last minute, who didn't hold up, who deceived me -- I have had to bear all of this," he wrote in his 1994 memoir, "The Struggle for Russia."
In case you haven't noticed, he was often drunk out of his ass and made Russia into a country that was controlled by the mafia. What was the condition of Russian economy under his leadership?
so you dont think his efforts to aim russia toward a democracy and a free market was a good thing? he took a bold step for that country and i dont think you can undervalue that. and yeah, the economy sucked but what do you expect from a country that goes from communism to a democracy, its not exaclty a easy transfer. ALso, the economy is still shaky and it still has a large mafia presence.
Lets just say he had a very checkered career. He was both the right person at the right time when the Soviet Union started to break up and he was the wrong person at the wrong time when state economic control collapsed.
Never said it was easy to transform the country. To me the goal of a government is to improve the lives of people living in the country and democracy if implemented correctly is the most efficient form of government to accomplish that goal. However, democracy for the sake of democracy is not the ultimate goal. He was not a very competent leader in my opion. Now compared with Deng in China who did not democatize the country but did improve the living standard of the people in China significantly. I would say Deng was a very competent leader.
well thats fine but this isnt about deng or china. but ridiculing a man for having the guts to convert a country is hardly appropriate, especially a thread about his death. Russia has problems were there before yeltsin, and are still there today.
Guts does not equal to competency. Having the courage to do something and doing that task well is two totally different things. I did not question his courage.
but you felt it necessary to take a cheap shot calling him a drunk. whatever. he wasnt "great" or perfect and in fact he did have flaws, but i would hardly put russias problems on him. RIP
Wow. I did my undergrad studying the Soviet Union. I never much liked Yeltsin because he had supplanted Gorbachev. Perhaps with the failed coup, it couldn't have been like it used to be anyway, but Gorbachev was the superior talent. I don't think Yeltsin badly mishandled the transformation, because what Russia went through probably cannot be done well. I do think he led (or perhaps the conservatives forced him to lead) Russia down the wrong road in liberalizing too quickly. Gorbachev was already pushing the envelope as much as the need to maintain stability would allow. In any case, Yeltsin was a much better man than the little tyrant they've got in there now. I had been happy to see Yeltsin go, not realizing it was just to go downhill.
heard the other day that churches have to start registering with the government again soon in Russia, thanks to Tsar Putin.
Gorbachev was better in some respects and was more of a technocrat but Yeltsin had better political instincts. Gorbachev was widely reviled in the 90's and not without good reason as he also mismanaged the transition. While you might be right that no one could've done it well both Gorbachev and Yeltsin had some serious problems dealing with it. Things are going downhill under Putin since Russia's economy is far stronger than under Yeltsin and Russia's international prestige is coming back after being considered a military and diplomatic joke. From a Western view Putin seems like things are worse since he opposes the US and has taken a hardline on Western interest while rolling back democracy but for many Russians these are good things. When compared to the chaos that existed under Yeltsin many Russians believe things are looking up due to Putin's tough leadership.
But seriously...he seemed like a good guy. Also, this was an underrated movie about American political strategists helping him win an election.
