Ukrainian Revolution in the Midst

Stephen Green writes an excellent post on the real solution to the Ukraine's problems - revolution:

In other words: An election, fair or foul, might not pull Ukraine out of its post-Soviet sinkhole. What would? Revolution, baby.

Elections didn't bring down the Berlin Wall. Elections didn't put the Ceaucescus up against a wall. Elections work in countries where freedom has already been won.

The Ukraine voted for independence from Russia in December of 1991. At the time of the fall of the Soviet Union, the Ukraine held 2/3 of Russia's coal reserves, about a quarter of its iron and steel output and accounted for around a third of its agricultural production.

Three years after their independence, the Ukraine's economic and political reforms were in shambles. Political infighting and a resurgence of neo-Communism left the efforts of privatization frozen and doomed to failure. Political groups previously aligned and committed to democracy split apart. The new leadership had no framework to operate from as the only constitution they had was an outdated Soviet-era model. Most in the Ukraine wanted "independent statehood" versus democracy.

Then Leonid Kuchma was elected president. This shrewd Russian-speaking politician was able to gain power by working both sides of the iron curtain for money and political stability. He froze all privatization efforts and turned to Russia for agricultural, industrial and natural development. Russia got their much-needed resources and reestablished their strong hand within the Ukraine, while the Ukraine fed its starving economy with Russian money. With his eastern flank secured, Kuchma then turned to the United States for help in securing IMF funds and foreign aid in return for dismantling their nuclear weapons. This money flowing into the Ukraine allowed the economy to "stabilize" in the short-run and he increased their political capital in the west by disarming their nukes. However, in return the Ukraine sold its soul at the crossroads to a wounded and authoritarian-leaning Russia.

Pro-democracy Ukrainians weren't quite ready in 1991, but the protests in Independence Square demonstrate an outright rejection not just of Putin's recent meddling, but more so of Russia's dysfunctional influence over the Ukraine overall. If a vote is held and Yuschenko wins, he must lead Ukrainian democrats into the temple to turn over the tables of authoritarian and post-Soviet ways and replace them with democracy. It could get ugly, as there are many oligarchs with much to lose. So it will take great courage, tenacity and resolve to achieve this objective.

The world watches and Democrats hope for the sake of the Ukrainian people, and the greater cause of democracy itself, that they succeed.