"Yeltsinian" figures refer to politicians who occupy high positions and have great power, but are also controlled and supported by external forces. They often do not hesitate to betray the interests of the country out of consideration for their own personal interests, and ultimately cause damage to the country and the nation.
The term originated from former Soviet leader Boris Yeltsin. In the early 90s of the 20th century, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Yeltsin established good relations with the United States and implemented a series of first-class policies. Although he ostensibly claimed that these policies were for Russia's democracy and economic development, the actual effect was that national interests were seriously damaged, the economy regressed, society was divided, and the national power declined. It can be said that Yeltsin is a typical "Yeltsinian" political figure.
Why, then, did a person who was once a high-ranking bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union finally choose to move closer to the United States and take advantage of his own interests?This is inextricably linked to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In the 80s of the 20th century, in the Cold War and the arms race with the United States, the Soviet economy became more and more unsustainable. At the same time, there is a growing demand for democratization and economic reform in Eastern Europe. Faced with a dire situation, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev launched a dual-track reform of politics and economy in an attempt to rescue a country on the brink of collapse.
However, Gorbachev's reforms not only failed to save the economy, but instead hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union. Among them, Yeltsin played a key role. He seized on the political loosening brought about by the reforms and was elected to Russia in 1990. After taking office, he vigorously pursued federal reforms, strengthened the power of the Russian Federation, and weakened the control of the Soviet Union.
In August 1991, the Soviet leadership, dissatisfied with Gorbachev's reforms, staged a coup d'état to put him under house arrest. However, while conservatives were trying to tighten political and economic control, Yeltsin stood on the high plane of democratic reform and denounced the move as unconstitutional. With the help of the support of the West, he quickly took control of the situation and officially took over the supreme power of the Soviet Union at the end of August, immediately announcing the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the cessation of the Union.
It can be said that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the result of a combination of factors, but Yeltsin undoubtedly played a key role in fueling the fire. How a former Soviet high-ranking bureaucrat rose to the top in the political storm of the collapse of the Soviet Union and finally chose to defect to the West is inseparable from the expansion of his personal political ambitions.
Immediately after coming to power, Yeltsin began to enthusiastically imitate the political and economic systems of Western countries. He vigorously pursued privatization and opened up Russia's markets, resources and energy strategic industries to Western capital. At the same time, he has repeatedly expressed Russia's intention to join the Western-dominated NATO.
However, Western countries did not accept Russia into the world system, as Yeltsin had hoped. The United States needs Russia as an antagonist in order to consolidate its influence in Europe. As a result, Russia continues to be isolated, and the promises of the West are in vain. Yeltsin's pro-Western policy has seriously damaged Russia's economic sovereignty and plunged the country into an unprecedented crisis.
According to the data, during the 10 years of Yeltsin's rule, Russia's GDP fell by nearly 40%, industrial output fell by half, the national standard of living fell sharply, and the national strength also declined. At the same time, the gap between the rich and the poor in society has widened, economic resources have been concentrated in the hands of a very small number of people, and the problem of corruption has seriously worsened.
It can be said that Yeltsin's illusion of Russia's democracy and economy not only failed in the isolation of the West, but also caused a deep disaster for the country. How a man who once held power in the Soviet Union could have such naïve illusions about the West can only be explained by the infinite expansion of his personal desire for power.
In modern Chinese history, there have also been some typical "Yeltsinian" figures. In the 30s of the 20th century, Wang Jingwei, an important member of the Kuomintang, obsessively followed the Japanese invaders, advocated "survival of the fittest" and "curve to save the country", and tried to justify his behavior. There is also Chiang Kai-shek, who advocated first peace and then resistance to Japan during World War II, and his son received special training in the United States and became the first of the American intelligence agencies.
These people are often born into famous families, joined the revolution in their early years, and later obtained high positions, but they were controlled or influenced by external forces to varying degrees, and finally chose to leave the family and the interests of the people. The state of inflated power and ambition in his heart is very similar to Yeltsin's.
What deserves our vigilance is that the emergence of such "Yeltsinian" figures often indicates that the country is about to fall into turmoil and crisis. Therefore, we must be vigilant against the disasters that the unlimited expansion of power caused by power may bring to the country, strengthen our spiritual pillar, and always keep in mind the purpose of serving the people and the country.
In order to guard against the harm that "Yeltsin-style" figures may bring to the country, we must start from the following aspects:
First of all, improve the national law, establish and improve the national system covering political, economic, military and other fields, and prevent extreme expansion of power and external infiltration. Second, strengthen national security awareness education and national identity, enhance the people's awareness of national interests, and prevent the influence of external forcesThird, it is necessary to establish a mechanism of checks and balances and supervision to prevent the excessive expansion of individual powerFinally, severely punish those who are controlled and affected by external forces, formulate strict treason laws, and legally sanction ** behavior.
Only by attaching equal importance to political security and legal security, and by combining the state apparatus with the national ideology, can we effectively guard against the harm that "Yeltsin-like" figures may bring to the country and ensure that national interests are not harmed.
This article reviews the historical lessons of "Yeltsin-like" figures, and analyzes the necessity and specific measures to prevent such figures from being able to bring disaster to the country. But history may eventually come from a circle, and when "Yeltsin-esque" figures reappear, where do we go from here?This is a question worth pondering.