USSR events that left huge impact to that generation

Dilichehra(20221953)

At the dawn of the 90s, the so-called “parade of sovereignties” began in the Soviet Union.

Against the backdrop of the political and economic crisis that gripped the country, its constituent

republics, one after another, began to declare their independence. Lithuania was the first to separate

from the USSR, followed by Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other republics. On

August 31, 1991, it was Uzbekistan’s turn: on this day 30 years ago, the first president Islam Karimov

declared the country’s independence. Exactly a month later, the Uzbek SSR officially ceased to exist and

was renamed the Republic of Uzbekistan. Independence Day in Uzbekistan is celebrated on September

1. For many years now, this holiday has been one of the most important in the country; on this day

there are always magnificent celebrations, concerts, festive processions and other events. Today, behind

this date lies the 30-year history of a country that has experienced a lot - both difficult times and periods

of growth and prosperity.

“The Cotton Case”: the fight against corruption or political repression “Uzbekistan was the

largest republic in Soviet Central Asia, the flagship of the region. The local elite has always been

influential and occupied leading positions. Representatives of the Uzbek elite were included in the

highest party bodies. In the Soviet Union, cotton was great national importance, and the Uzbek SSR was

its largest producer. Not only collective farmers, but also almost all residents of the republic -

schoolchildren, students and state employees - were recruited to work in the cotton fields. Cotton was

used not only for the production of textiles, but also in the defense industry, in particular for the

production of gunpowder. Therefore, the center constantly demanded to increase its production. In

fact, the “cotton affair” was nothing more than a large-scale and carefully thought-out action by the

Center aimed at weakening local party apparatuses. Proof of this is the fact that the places of convicted
Uzbek managers were quickly taken by officials who openly supported the Kremlin’s policies. The result

of these appointments was the eradication of many traditions important to the Uzbek people. Thus,

residents of the older generation were prohibited from celebrating Navruz and performing funeral

prayers, and many mosques and Muslim sanctuaries were destroyed.

As my grandfather says, “Back then in big cities there was a problem with national schools. There

were half as many of them [than Russian-speaking ones]. And we demanded that their number be

increased. I remember how in 1980 my wife wrote a letter to Sharaf Rashidov that “my the daughter

wants to learn her father’s language.” And, oddly enough, after 17 days, the first Uzbek department in

a kindergarten was created in our area. And then they created a primary school with Uzbek as the

language of instruction. If people demanded, then, of course, they did it. But studying at a Russian

school was prestigious. Because government agencies accepted those who knew Russian. And all the

officials spoke Russian. And those who did not know Russian well were ashamed that they were

forced to speak their native language." And some of the older population say that “Let the Uzbek child

be brought up with Uzbek values, hone literacy in the Uzbek language, and starting from the 7th grade,

learn any foreign language, this is necessary for the development of the nation,” the deputy said. “Let

compatriots of other nationalities raise and teach children in their native languages. In

the winter of 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan held a national referendum asking

residents how they felt about independence. 98.3% of participants voted for sovereignty. But everything

changed when Islam Karimov became the leader of the republic. The new leader was closer to the

people and cared about national interests. Karimov carried out important economic and cultural

reforms, and also, importantly, returned to people the opportunity to freely practice their religion. He

also did a lot to preserve the national language: by Karimov’s decree, the Uzbek language was

declared the state language, and Russian the language of interethnic communication.
In conclusion, I want to say that “No matter what country of the former Union we come to, we feel at

home everywhere. We don’t feel like we’re abroad. The Russian language predominates
everywhere,
and our generation speaks it well and understands it. Everywhere we encounter one
and the same trade
or transport infrastructure. You go into a store, and the same saleswoman
greets you everywhere, be it
in Moscow or in Tashkent. As if nothing has changed."