Pööre

Mälestusi #1

by Mart Laar

Mart Laari mälestuste I osa „Pööre“ annab ülevaate Isamaa valitsuse tegevusest 1992–1994. Raamatus kajastatakse neil aastatel Eesti ühiskonnas tehtud põhimõttelisi muudatusi ning pööret Idast Läände, sellega seotud raskusi ja väljakutseid. Muu hulgas tehakse juttu panganduskriisist ja rublamüügist, Iisraeli relvade hankimisest ning Vene vägede väljaviimisest. Raamat on illustreeritud arvukate fotode ja dokumentidega autori eraarhiivist.

Genres: History, Travel, Nonfiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Mart Laar on ajaloolane ja kogenud õpikuautor, kes on ka mitmel korral valitud riigikogu liikmeks ning nimetatud kahel korral peaministriks. Tema peamised uurimisvaldkonnad on olnud Eesti 19. sajandi rahvuslik liikumine ja Teine maailmasõda.

Mart Laar is an Estonian politician and historian. He served as the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002. Laar is credited with having helped bring about Estonia's rapid economic development during the 1990s.

Reviews

[Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ma tahaks, et mu laste ajalooõpikud oleks sellised. Mitte nii paksud, aga samas stiilis. Nagu Ivan Orav, aga päriselt.

[Martin Lember · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book from the first elected prime minister of Estonia after independence was established after collapse of Soviet Union. It is relatively good read, but you can feel that is is written from the perspective of the author. In my opinion Kalle Muuli's books gave a more neutral overview about the period. Nevertheless, some nice facts emerge and recommendation to new generation to read, how things and solution were created, even if the odds were against you. For me, it was interesting to see that there were several misunderstandings between Mart Laar and president Meri, which I wan't aware of - usually newspaper stories will not give you a full picture. A questions emerged regarding Carl Bildt involvment of several times - obviously Mart and Carl got along well, but might there been also that Europe's leaders introductions to Carl to verify Estonia and it's prime minister? Reading the book it feels that way too often former Swedish prime minister helped out Mart Laar and Estonia when things got heated - in the end it was a good partnership for both sides.

[Aet Altement · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ladusalt kirjutatud, mõnus lugeda, samas ei olnud teema minu jaoks eriti huvitav.

[Indrek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hea ülevaade Eesti lähiajaloost. Soovitan lugeda kõigil, vaatamata poliitilisest eelistusest. Hea huumoriga kirjutatud raamat aitab panna mõnedki tänased mured perspektiivi.

[Jose Sbuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reads like a fast-paced start-up journal. Mart Laar as Estonia's first prime minister after re-gaining independence is the startup CEO, who builds the organization, is constantly stressed for funding and resources, prioritizes development ideas, and travels around selling and promoting their idea. Like in a startup, lack of funds makes one creative. For example, before elections Laar & co. send forged forecasts to media to give their new party more credibility. Laar's product is a "Little country that could" - a small, agile nation that is willing to take drastic measures to make the leap from a backwards communist province to a serious western player.

To Laar, being part of the west is about freedom and capitalism. I don't think he mentions e.g. happiness or social responsibility at all in the whole book. Environment is mentioned: free markets made companies cut spending and waste and thus benefited the environment. Of course, the challenges were numerous: soviet corruption and tax-avoidance, dysfunctional markets, obsolete industry, internal rivalry (e.g. inside the defence forces), instability and organized crime, Russian army bases, ... Estonia did not get a fresh start but a "new" start with a lot of historical weight.

Laar manages by numbers. Estonia has been remarkable success in many (economic) fronts but has it been worth the effort? Was it the best way forward or would a softer, more human approach worked better? Laar makes the case that it was about survival as an independent country, and that fixing the effects of 50 years of Soviet rule needed dramatic action. Mart Laar admires Margaret Thatcher and reads Milton Friedman. It would be interesting to analyze and compare with other ex-soviet countries.

Mart Laar is supposedly a historian by education, but this book is far from an objective historical study. Laar lists his government's achievements but - in a true startup style - doesn't give much thought to failures. He weaves a compelling story of how and why things happened but doesn't much analyze the externalities or the role of chance. This book is a fairy tale from one person's point of view, based on true events.

Laar avoids name-dropping. He met many interesting world leaders but doesn't really say much about the personalities. Actually, he doesn't say much about any personality. Everything is about action, not feeling.

An interesting read to anyone interested in political history, and especially those interested in Estonia. After reading, I have new curiosity towards Estonia and its future. Laar is still marketing his fatherland successfully.

[Jarno Mehtiö · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauskasti kirjoitettu vaikeuksista ja muutoksista, joita Viron ensimmäinen vaaleilla valittu pääministeri teki. Kirja avaa hieman Viron itsenäistymisen toisen tulemisen uusia poliitikkoja ja selittää tätä kautta myös nykynäkemyksiä. Kommunismin saappaan alla eläneille vapaus oli kaikkein tärkein asia. Laar tuo suoraan ja kiertelemättä ilmi kunnioituksensa Thatcheria, Hayekia ja Friedmania vastaan. Hän kirjoittaa aivan suoraan, että verotus on varkautta. Hän ajoi tasaveron ja myöhemmin yritysten nollaveron sisään jätetyistä voitoista. Hän sanoi suoraan vaalitentissä, että budjetti on tasapainotettava ja tarvittaessa leikataan vaikka juuri nostetuista eläkkeistä. Näistä lähtökohdista voisi kuvitella, että Laarin ja hänen kollegoiden sekä Viron ystäviksi tunnustautuneiden suomalaisten näkökulmat saattoivat erota toisistaan, etenkin Suomen vasemmalla laidalla. Näkemys valtiosta on niin erilainen. Vanki osaa arvostaa vapautta huomattavasti enemmän kuin vartija.

Kirjassa tuodaan Suomea esiin, esipuheessa etenkin. Myöhemminkin mainitaan, miten Lipponen oli avuksi EU-jäsenyydessä. Mutta eninten kirjassa mainitaan Carl Bildt. Hän auttoi konkreettisesti, tuli itse paikalle pahoihin paikkoihin, järjesteli kutsuja, veteli naruja Länsi-Euroopassa ja kyseli mm. Saksalta, että kun he jo kerran jakoivat Viron Venäjän kanssa, aikovatko tehdä saman uudestaan. Tällaista puhetta en usko Tuomiojan, Halosen tai Lipposen pitäneen. Tiedä pitikö Bildtkään, mutta selkeästi Laar häntä arvostaa.

[Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mukavasti kirjoitettu matka Viron uuden itsenäisyyden historiaan, kaksinkertaisen pääministerin näkökulmasta.