|
It was fun to pick this book and leaf through it this week. Maybe it is something about being able to see the process - see it 'to scale', so to speak.The Baltic people are prisoners of their history more than they are willing to admit (and as a Lithuanian-born and Lithuanian-educated but UK-resident Lithuanian, I can say so without a fear of insulting sensibilities). This well-written, confident and elegantly worded book will not be the guidebook to the Baltics of today, but this is not why you would be picking this book in this day and age. And then, even more bizarrely, you notice that so many things stayed the same. They have developed into predictable democracies - unexciting but better for the people. My God - it was only written about a decade ago. In my travels, I found that studies of RECENT history of a country were the most revealing when trying to understand the national character.
It is, however, very sad to realize that, with a bit of luck, the Baltics may never again be in a situation where major newspapers would feel it is worthwile to retain a correspondent there. 'The Baltic Revolution' is now firmly a part of the shelf looking at history - albeit a recent one, but history nevertheless. In Lieven's book, you will read about the same character traits - but, visually, the countries really are nothing like those in which Mr Lieven lived when he used to write for 'The Times'.Probably the smartest analogy I could think of would be as follows: imagine yourself staying in one of seven-star super-duper hotels in Dubai with plasma TVs and fish-tank walls and internet access in your shower AND while you're at it, read a book about the times when this emyrate was nothing but desert and camels. So many things changed beyond belief (shops, houses, infrastructure, clothes - these are no-brainers; but also political life has matured incredibly, and Lithuania even managed to impeach its president caught with his hand in the till). EXACTLY the same.If you are in the Baltics for more than a week, this book would make a captivating reading: you will understand where Baltic ways of doing things, Balts' thoughts and idiosynchracies come from. It is good news for the people of those countries that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are no longer on the news map. However, in the absence of seasoned correspondents, who is going to write books about them like Mr Lieven.
Estonia had actually drafted its declaration of independence first but was afraid to make the first step. Estonia's Hansabank continues to dominate banking, but Latvia and Lithuania have carved out their own economic niches and have done very well in the past 3 years. However, his telling of the revolution and some of the events that led up to it provide the reader with a good background into the re-emergence of the Baltic nations.Lithuania stands out because it was the first of the Baltics to physically make its case. Unfortunately, this book is now badly dated. It is best to balance Lieven's account against other sources. Although Estonia had the jump on the Baltics economically, thanks to its strong ties with Finland, the others soon caught up.
The people sung these sungs well into the night.However, many of the prophecies Lieven fortold in this book failed to hold true.
Not so with Lithuania, led by the charismatic Vytautus Landsbergis, a well-regarded composer, Lithuania proudly stood its ground against the Soviet tanks.
Their brief moment of unity was in declaring their independence, forming a memorable human chain across the three countries.
So much has happened in the wake of the 91 revolution that the Baltic countries look much different than those Lieven presents in this book.
The countries couldn't be any more different from one another.
With shades of the Prague Spring lurking in the shadows.
Lithuania dubbed it the Singing Revolution, a nation well known for its folk songs.
However, since then it has been each country to its own, as they compete with each for European and other foreign investment.There have been many other books written on the subject of Baltic independence and nationhood since Lieven offered this timely portrait.
But, at the time it was it was written, it was a very welcome book as it put forward the case for Baltic independence.
The author gives a good account of what transpired in the Baltic republics during the late 80's and early 90's, when this book was written. The Balts looked toward Europe, but their view of Europe was stuck in the interwar period. For example, the 2nd Republic had to decide what constitution or laws were used. This idea is sort of a mantra for the author. Maybe that is because Lithuania, unlike its northern neighbors, was able to resist teutonic conquest and allied itself with Poland. Lieven gives the reader history and more, because the actions the Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians took in becoming independant are rooted in history. This book is a good view of the path to the Baltic's 2nd Republic. As the author states in arguments with "the extreme Right-wing parties about some of their ideas, and my knock-out blow (wrapped in less direct language) has always been: 'what you are saying is not European; it will separate you from the modern West'" page 71.
The book is organized thus: 1 The Shape of the Land; 2 Surviving the Centuries; 3 Independence Won and Lost, 1918-40; 4 The Troglodyte International: The Soviet Impact on the Baltic; 5 Imagined Nations: Cycles of Cultural Rebirth; 6 Lost Atlantises: The Half-Forgotten Nationalities of the Baltic; 7 The Baltic Russians; 8 The Independence Movements and their Successors, 1987-92; 9 Building on Ruins: The Recreation of the New States; Conclusion: The West and the Baltic States.This was an interesting book. That was their only view, during the Soviet occupation. I would be interested in reading what has happened during the 10 years, since the writing of this book. But this conflicted with the European or EU view. He was living there and reports firsthand the events that transpired.I almost felt that most of the book was about Lithuania. That the Balts do not know what it is to be European.The book has notes, but no biliography.
Most opted for the interwar laws and constitutions. So, the Balts were considered to be insensitive to the colonizers, in their midst. I found that to be unacceptable. I think the author took pride in declaring to the Balts that they were not "modern" Europeans.
There is no denying that this is a very valuable book on the Baltic States' history during the fall of the Soviet Union. It is a valuable book, since there is little else written on the period or the region. Nevertheless, since there are very few foreign authors paying attention to the region, an imperfect treatement is better than no treatment at all.
The bibliography on the history of the Baltic States is quite scarce. The situation described in the book as "contemporary" already seems like ancient history in the Baltic States. But on the other hand, there are few other books out there to compare this one with.
The Baltic Countries have changed dramatically since this book was written. Lieven gives a good, and thourough analysis of a specific time in history, however, for many local Balts, when reading the text, it is obvious that this was written by an outsider looking in. Lieven does not always seem to fully understand the real character and history of the region.
Readers should not think that the countries described in the books are still the same today. However, looking at it objectivly, it is not perfect, and lacks a true understanding of the events that have shaped Baltic history and created the Baltic people.
Baltic history had been so long overlooked, at best it was relegated to footnotes in European history, that it was great to read a book totally devoted to the subject in the English language. So much has transpired since 1991 that the book needs to be revised and updated. Lieven gives an excellent overview of events that led to the independence of these tiny republics in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse. Unfortunately, the information is now dated. While the other former Soviet republics struggle to esatblish even the rudiments of a free-market economy, the Baltics are thriving. As Lieven pointed out, these countries have long European roots, unfortunately they became entangled with Russian roots and their personal histories became obscured.
|
