Estonia: Return To Independence

by Rein Taagepera

After breaking free from the Bolsheviks in 1918, Estonia enjoyed independence until 1940 when the country was subsumed by the Soviet Union. Not until 1991 was Estonia able to make its next successful bid for sovereignty. In this book, Rein Taagepera traces the evolution of Estonia from prehistory to the present, when a radical turn of events in the former Soviet Union once again altered the destiny of this Baltic nation. The author explores in depth the remarkable changes in Estonia since 1980, framing his analysis within the larger picture of the Soviet Union and its demise. He also examines the issue of ethnic tensions between Estonians and Russian colonists and speculates on how unrest will affect the future of the country. Throughout his analysis, the author weaves in such key questions as: Why did Sovietization fail? How did Estonia’s quest for autonomy affect Soviet dissolution? What role will the country play on the global stage? What will Estonia’s future hold?

Genres: History

294 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 1993

Reviews

[Kriegslok]

I think for most people in the West Estonia did not exist until 1991 - except perhaps in official memory as a Nazi collaborator state. Now Estonia has gained a dubious notoriety as a destination for Brits to get violently drunk to the point where a certain demographic from this grey and septic isle are not particularly welcome any more [and rightly so]. Given all that this book is an important eye opener placing the emergence of Estonia as a distinct and separate linguistic grouping into the context of the development of Europe as a major world player. As the experience of most of Central Europe so that of Estonia caught within the sphere of interest of two of Europes greatest powers. Taagepera charts the development of the Estonian people under the changing dominance of German or Russian domination and how the particular form of separatist occupation between occupier and occupied provided the space that was requirred for the indigenous people to retain and develop their own linguistic and cultural characteristics. As a tiny nation and victim of geography Estonia has become adept at playing with the poor cards it was dealt but placing its own interest before those who would seek to exploit national grievences for their own imperial interests. The independence that Estonia achieved in 1920 was short lived and there followed years of brutal war, deportations and betrayal all round. Estonia featured prominantly in Stalin's genocidal demographic politics which involved the deportation of thousands and the liqidation of the indigenous communist and cultural elite between 1945 and the early 1950's. The Soviet period saw a determined effort to permenantly altar the demographic make up of Estonia with the encouragement of transmigration from Russia and other Soviet Republics to Estonia. In many ways I was reminded of the Basque experience while reading the book. The period leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reemergence of the Estonian independence movement is fascinating especially as one follows the movement from unity against what was understood in terms of illegal Soviet occupation to increased confidence among the independence contenders and their emerging differences and eventual petty rivalry. The book was written in 1993 since when a lot has happened and some of the questions asked in the final chapters have been answered or have grown clearer. An update to take account of recent years developments, especially the situation of the ethnic Russian population would be interesting.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was perfect for my purposes, it was not a great work. It is unapologetically biased and I found it difficult to find a flow. It seemed to be a list of evidences strung together under vaguely similar topics at times. It was, however, a good view at the Estonian interpretation of their history and it helped me understand where this population is coming from when it deals with issues of today. The author is intelligent and well-informed but very hard to follow at times.