FREE ESSAY ON POST SOVIET RUSSIA

POST SOVIET RUSSIA

In December of 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen separate countries. Its
collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over
totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism. It was a
relief for many to watch the Soviet Union brake down, finally bringing the cold world to
an end. This day made history as the whole world reformulated its political, economic and
military alliances. What where the causes of the break-up and who was to blame for it? 
By the time the Soviet Unions last leader came to power in 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev, the
country was suffering severe economic and political problems. His plans for reform failed
and the Soviet people criticized him. With the collapse of state socialism and
transitions in the economy the Soviet people felt upset and lost as to where the future
of their country was heading. Of course there were to people to blame, but it was not the
political figures that received the most. Russian traditional ideology still lingered
during communist transition, such as women belonged at home taking care of the children;
that is why changes have been so demoralizing to women. The economic and political
conditions combined with traditional ideology have had a particularly detrimental effect
on women, causing them to be the poorest of the poor and most discriminated. 
Stalin, World War II and an immense rate of alcoholism have given Russia one of the
highest numbers of widows of any nation. Many women work full time, cook, shop and take
care of their children. Yet women earn, on average, only 40% as much as men and three
times as likely to be unemployed. (Jones). In comparison to men, they are the first to be
laid off, are hired on the basis if they are attractive or could perform sexual favors
and of course are not taken seriously by political parties. (Buckley 4). Even thought the
government implemented support mechanisms to help women, they are still unable to secure
a stable job and as a result represent two-thirds of the unemployed in Russia. Women in
Moscow, for example, represent 78% of the city's out-of-work residents. They also make up
a large part of a new category to which Russians have only been recently introduced: the
working poor. (Rhein 1). 
But women face discrimination not only in the public spheres; traditional female roles
are also reemerging in the private sphere. Social and political messages suggest that
women should return home, raise children and not participate in the public sphere. As a
result, public and private social structures in Russia not only push women out of the
employment market and into poverty, but also keep them out of legislation (which is a
breach of international law). Political parties are made up of a majority of men leaving
women with very small to no representation whatsoever. (Buckley 5).