Every decade of the 20th century in the eyes of an ordinary citizen is painted in some of its own colors, shimmering in many shades. Twenties and thirties for some - the time of five years, enthusiasm and intercontinental flights, for others it is overshadowed by mass repression. Forties rhyme with "fatal", they are painted with whiteness of gray hair and bandages of field hospitals, black smoke and orange flame of burning cities. Fifties - virgin soil and dudes. The sixties is a calm but not rich life. Seventies - flared jeans, flared jeans, hippies and sexual revolution. Eighties - sneakers, pants - “bananas” and “Felicita”. And then the nightmare life in Russia began. It was not easy to survive in the 90s. Here we will dwell on them.
Illusions
A decade is counted from the first year. For example, the 1970s dates back to the sixties. Therefore, the first in this terribly interesting era is the year of the collapse (or collapse) of the Soviet Union. After what happened in August 1991, there was no question of the dominant-leading role of the CPSU. It became impossible to smoothly slide to the market, characteristic of many world economies after the collapse of the socialist system (as, for example, in China). But almost no one wanted him. People demanded change - and immediate. Life in Russia in the 90s began with the illusion that it is worth taking a small step, and the country will heal as elegantly as the prosperous West, which has become a model for most of the population in everything. Few imagined the depth of the abyss lying ahead. It seemed that America would stop "fooling around", help with advice and money, and the Russians would join the number of "civilized peoples" driving expensive cars, living in cottages, wearing prestigious clothes and traveling around the world. It happened, but not at all.
Shock
The instant transition to the market caused a shock (The Shock). This psychological phenomenon was called "shock therapy", but had nothing to do with medical processes. Exempted prices in the 90s began to grow many times faster than the incomes of most of the population. Sberbank deposits have lost their value, they were most often said to be “lost”, but the laws of conservation of matter also apply in the economy. Nothing disappears, including money that simply changed its owners. But business was not limited to savings books: in the summer of 1992, privatization of all national property began. Legally, this process was framed as the free distribution of ten thousandth checks, for which it was formally possible to purchase shares of enterprises. In fact, this method suffered an important flaw. The so-called "vouchers" were bought up in large numbers by those who had the means and capabilities to do this, and soon the factories, factories, collective farms and other subjects of Soviet economy passed into private hands. Workers and peasants again did not get anything. This did not surprise anyone.
Political change
In 1991, American correspondents in the office of the former USSR president (at that moment already timidly retired) expressed joy over the victory over the "evil empire" with loud cries of "wow!" and the like exclamations. They had reason to believe that the world's only counterweight to the all-planetary US domination was successfully eliminated. They believed that after the Soviet Union , Russia would soon disappear from the map, it would fall into easily manageable shreds from the outside populated by a demoralized rabble. Although most of the subjects of the RSFSR (with the exception of Chechnya and Tatarstan) expressed a desire to remain part of a common state, destructive trends were observed quite clearly. The domestic policy of Russia in the 90s was formulated by President Yeltsin, who called on the former autonomies to take sovereignty as much as they want.
The gloomy realities were able to turn into the separatist the most ardent supporter of unity. The shooting of the tank guns of the tanks of the Supreme Council building (October 1993), numerous casualties, the arrest of delegates and other circumstances that contributed to the flourishing of democracy did not raise any objections from foreign partners. After that, the Constitution of the Russian Federation was legislated, with a generally acceptable text, but putting international law above national interests.
Yes, the Parliament now consisted of two chambers, the Federation Council and the State Duma. Quite a different matter.
Culture
Nothing characterizes the atmosphere of the era as much as the spiritual life of Russia. In the 90s, state funding for cultural programs was curtailed, and in return sponsorship became widespread. The notorious "raspberry jackets" in the pauses between shooting and undermining their own kind, allocated funds for projects that corresponded to their tastes, which, of course, affected the quality of cinema, music, literature, theatrical productions and even painting. The outflow of talented figures abroad in search of a better life began. At the same time, freedom of expression had a positive side. The broad masses of people realized the healing role of religion in general and Orthodoxy in particular, new temples were built. Some cultural figures (N. Mikhalkov, V. Todorovsky, N. Tsiskaridze, N. Safronov, A. Shilov) managed to create true masterpieces even in this difficult time.
Chechnya
The development of Russia in the 90s was complicated by a large-scale internal armed conflict. In 1992, the Republic of Tatarstan did not want to recognize itself as a federal part of a common country, but this conflict was kept in a peaceful framework. It happened differently with Chechnya. An attempt to resolve the issue by force has grown into a tragedy of national scale, accompanied by terrorist attacks, hostage taking and military operations. In fact, at the first stage of the war Russia was defeated, having documented it in 1996 as the conclusion of the Khasavyurt agreement. This forced move gave only a temporary delay, in general, the situation threatened to go into an uncontrollable phase. Only in the next decade, during the second phase of the military operation and after cunning political combinations, did the danger of the collapse of the country be eliminated.
Party life
After the abolition of the CPSU monopoly, the time has come for "pluralism." Russia in the 90s of the 20th century became a multi-party country. The most popular public organizations that appeared in the country were LDPR (liberal democrats), the Communist Party (communists), Yabloko (advocating private property, a market economy and all kinds of democracy), Our Home - Russia (Chernomyrdin with a “house” folded down) palms, personifying the true financial elite). There was also Gaidar's “Democratic Choice”, “Just Cause” (as the name implies - the opposite of the left), and dozens more parties. They united, disconnected, clashed, argued, but, in general, they did not seem to differ much from each other, although they diversified political life in Russia in the 1990s. Everyone promised that soon it would be good. The people did not believe.
Elections-96
The task of the politician is to create illusions, this distinguishes him from a real statesman, but at the same time resembles a filmmaker. The exploitation of visible images is a favorite technique of those who seek to master the souls, emotions and voices of voters. The Communist Party skillfully exploited nostalgic sentiments, idealizing Soviet life. In Russia, in the 1990s, quite broad sections of the population remembered the best times when there was no war, the issue of getting daily bread was not so acute, as there were no unemployed people, etc. The Communist Party leader G. Zyuganov, who promised to return it all, had every chance of becoming president of Russia. Oddly enough, this did not happen. Obviously, the people nevertheless understood that there would still be no return to socialist orders. The point of no return is passed. But the elections were dramatic.
Late nineties
It was not easy to survive the nineties in Russia and other post-Soviet countries, and not everyone managed it. But sooner or later everything ends. The Yeltsin era has also come to an end , and it’s good that the course change was bloodless, not accompanied by one of the terrible feuds that our history is so rich in. After a long stagnation, the economy, culture and spiritual life began to revive, while timidly and slowly. In the 90s Russia got a very painful and dangerous vaccine for the entire state body, but the country withstood it, although not without complications. God willing, the lesson will be for the future.