The Yeltsin era is an important period in the history of modern Russia, which is still widely estimated by many historians. Some see the first president of the Russian Federation as a supporter of democratic change, who freed the country from the communist yoke, for others he is the destroyer of the Soviet Union, whose rule led to the emergence of oligarchs and squandering of national resources. In this article, we examine the time in which Boris Nikolaevich led the country, consider the main results of this period.
Election as President of Russia
It is believed that the Yeltsin era began on June 12, 1991, when he was elected president of the RSFSR. In the elections, more than 57% of voters voted for him. In absolute terms, it is more than 45.5 million people. Nikolai Ryzhkov, who was supported by the CPSU, was considered his main rival, but the opponent’s result was 16.85%. The era of Yeltsin began under the banner of supporting the sovereignty of Russia as part of the Soviet Union and the struggle against the privileges of the nomenclature.
The first decree of the new president was the decree on measures to promote education. It was based on the support of this area; a number of proposals were declarative in nature. Much has not been fulfilled. For example, a promise every year to send at least 10 thousand people abroad for internships, training and advanced training.
The collapse of the USSR is associated with the Yeltsin era. Already on December 1, Ukraine held a referendum on independence. A few days after this, the Russian president met in Belovezhskaya Pushcha with the new head of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk and the head of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislav Shushkevich. The Russian delegation introduced a new project of the Union of Sovereign States, which at that time was actively discussed. It was signed contrary to the results of the referendum on the preservation of the USSR. At that time, the central government led by Gorbachev was virtually paralyzed; it could not oppose the heads of the republics.
The agreement was promptly ratified, on December 25, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, transferring his residence in the Kremlin and his nuclear case to Yeltsin.
Early years
The first years of the Yeltsin era were incredibly difficult. Already in the fall of 1991, it became apparent that the USSR was not able to pay foreign debt. The negotiations culminated in the demand of foreign banks to urgently switch to market reforms. Then came the economic program of Yegor Gaidar. She suggested price liberalization, privatization, ruble conversion, commodity intervention.
The government formed on November 6, Yeltsin himself headed until mid-1992. The starting point for “shock therapy” was price liberalization. It was planned to release them on December 1, but the corresponding decree entered into force only on January 2, 1992. The market began to fill up with consumer goods, and the monetary policy of issuing money provoked hyperinflation. Real pensions and salaries fell, the standard of living fell sharply. It was possible to stop these processes only in 1993.
One of the first important decisions of Yeltsin was the decree on free trade. This document actually legalized entrepreneurship. A lot of people went into petty street trading. It was also decided to start collateral auctions and voucher privatization, which led to the fact that most of the state property was in the hands of a limited group of people, that is, oligarchs. Meanwhile, the country was faced with massive non-payment of salaries and a decline in production.
To the economic problems was added a political crisis. In some regions, national separatist organizations have intensified.
Constitutional reform
The character of the Yeltsin era was democratic, as evidenced by the constitutional reform. In December 1993, a referendum was held on the adoption of a new draft Constitution. Almost 58.5% of voters voted for him. The constitution has been adopted.
This document provided the president with significant powers, while the importance of parliament was greatly reduced.
freedom of speech
Speaking briefly about the Yeltsin era, it should be noted that one of its distinguishing features was freedom of speech. Her symbol was the satirical program "Dolls", which was released from 1994 to 2002. It made fun of popular government officials and politicians, including the president himself.
At the same time, numerous evidence remained that in 1991-1993, Yeltsin controlled Russian television. Issues of individual programs were removed from the air if they contained criticism of the actions of the president.
Even officially private television companies got it. For example, Yeltsin’s associates recall that in 1994 the head of state didn’t like how NTV covered the war in Chechnya. The President ordered to deal with the owner of the channel Vladimir Gusinsky. Tom even had to leave for London for a short while.
Chechen War
For many, Russia during the Yeltsin era is associated with the war in Chechnya. The problems in this Caucasian republic began in 1991, when the rebellious general Dzhokhar Dudaev proclaimed independent Ichkeria. Soon separatist sentiment flourished in Chechnya.
At the same time, a unique situation developed: Dudaev did not pay taxes to the federal budget, forbade special services to enter the republic, but continued to receive subsidies from the treasury. Until 1994, oil continued to flow into Chechnya, which was not paid at all. Moreover, Dudaev resold it abroad. Moscow supported the anti-Dudaev opposition, but did not intervene in the conflict until a certain point. Moreover, a civil war actually began in the republic.
In November 1994, the opposition, with the support of Russian special services, attempted to storm Grozny, which failed. After that, Yeltsin decided to send troops to Chechnya. The Kremlin has officially called subsequent events the restoration of constitutional order.
Assessing the nature and results of the rule of the Yeltsin era, it is noted by many that this was one of the most failed decisions, the plan and its implementation were unsuccessful. Ill-conceived actions led to a large number of civilian and military casualties. Killed tens of thousands of people.
In August 1996, federal troops were driven out of Grozny. After that, the Khasavyurt agreements were signed, which were considered by many to be a betrayal.
Second Presidential Term
In 1996, Yeltsin defeated the communist Gennady Zyuganov in the second round, despite the unsuccessful starting position. After the end of the campaign, he for a long time turned off from managing the country, since his health was greatly undermined. Even the inauguration took place on an abbreviated program.
Politicians who financed or led the campaign became the leader of the state. Chubais received the post of head of the presidential administration, Vladimir Potanin became the first deputy chairman of the government, and Boris Berezovsky became deputy secretary of the Security Council.
In November, Yeltsin underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. At this time, the duties of the president were performed by Chernomyrdin. The president returned to leadership of the state only in 1997.
Premiere leapfrog
This time was marked by the signing of a decree on the denomination of the ruble, negotiations with the Chechen leader Maskhadov. In the spring of 1998, the Chernomyrdin government was dismissed, and Sergei Kiriyenko was appointed prime minister on the third attempt.
In August 1998, two days after Yeltsin’s confident statement that there would be no devaluation of the ruble, this nevertheless happened. The Russian currency depreciated four times. Kiriyenko’s government fired.
On August 21, the majority of State Duma deputies proposed that the president voluntarily resign. However, he refused, in September Primakov became the new prime minister.
In May, the parliament initiated an impeachment procedure. Five charges were brought against Yeltsin. On the eve of the vote, Primakov was fired, and Stepashin was appointed in his place. None of the accusations ever received the required number of votes.
Stepashin did not stay prime minister for long; in August he was succeeded by Vladimir Putin, whom Yeltsin officially declared his successor. At the end of 1999, the situation worsened. Chechen fighters attacked Dagestan, residential buildings were blown up in Moscow, Volgodonsk and Buinaksk. At the suggestion of Putin, the president announced the start of an anti-terrorist operation.
Resignation
December 31 at noon Moscow time, Boris Yeltsin announced that he would resign as president. He explained this by the poor state of his health. The head of state apologized to all citizens of the country. It was the end of the Yeltsin era.
Vladimir Putin was appointed acting, who on the same day addressed the Russians with a New Year’s address. On the same day, a decree was signed guaranteeing Yeltsin protection from prosecution, as well as substantial material benefits to him and his family.
Public opinion
The character of the Yeltsin era and the results of the reign of the first president of Russia continue to be summed up to this day.
According to opinion polls, 40% of Russians positively assess its historical role, 41% speak out negatively. Moreover, in 2000, immediately after the resignation, only 18% rated it positively and 67% negatively.
Authority ratings
The results of the Yeltsin era are estimated differently by the Russian authorities. It is known that in 2006, Putin said that the main achievement during the reign of the first Russian president was to provide freedom to citizens. This is his main historical merit.
In 2011, Dmitry Medvedev, who was the president at that time, said that one should not underestimate the breakthrough that the country made in the 90s. Now, citizens should be grateful to Yeltsin for the reforms.
Opinions of Political Scientists
Political scientists emphasize that under Yeltsin, economic and political competition developed in the country, which was not the case before, civil society and an independent press began to take shape.
At the same time, it is recognized that the transition to democracy from totalitarianism could not have been painless, certain mistakes were made. In addition, there is an opinion that it is pointless to accuse Yeltsin of the collapse of the USSR. It was an inevitable process; elites in the republics have long wanted independence, a way out of Moscow’s influence.
When Yeltsin came to power, the country's economy was disastrous. There was a shortage of everything, foreign exchange reserves were almost exhausted, oil was worth about $ 10 per barrel. The country could not be saved from hunger without decisive measures.
Privatization has led to the emergence of world-class companies in the country.
The position of public figures and politicians
Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, speaking about the time of the reign of the country by Yeltsin, repeatedly noted that there was no democracy under him. In his opinion, he should enter the historical memory as one of the main destroyers and destroyers of the social infrastructure of the Russian state.
Politicians and public figures coined the term "Yeltsinism." It was understood as a regime that led to the destruction of all spiritual and social values in the country.
"Russia, washed with blood"
Evaluations of the work of the first president of Russia are given in numerous journalistic books, articles and studies. In 2016, Fedor Razzakov’s book was published entitled “Bandits of the Yeltsin era, or Russia, washed with blood”.
In this work, the author tries to give an answer to the question, the 90s were so positive, they remained in the people's memory under the epithet "dashing". Razzakov, with amazing scrupulousness, recreates that time. He assures that there is no historical untruth in the book, since it is based on a real criminal chronicle of those years. It was collected from all kinds of printed sources - magazines, newspapers, memoirs and memoirs.
In the book "Bandits of the Yeltsin era" the features of that era are clearly recreated, attempts are made to evaluate them as objectively as possible.