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Volume 82 – No. 2

Mongolia: Transmogrification of a Communist Party

Morris Rossabi

DOI: 10.5509/2009822231

  • English Abstract
  • French Abstract

 

The Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP), founded in 1924, ruled Mongolia as a one-party communist state until 1990. Following the model of the Soviet Union, it imposed a dictatorial government which engaged in a purge leading to the deaths of about 25,000 people, undermined Buddhism, and collectivized the herds. On the other hand, it fostered industrialization and urbanization, introduced modern educational and medical systems, and provided a social safety net for the 183 population. Yet it kept Mongolia isolated from the rest of the world. The fall of communism transformed the MPRP. To hold power, it aligned itself with international financial organizations, which required acquiescence to a shock therapy of rapid privatization, liberalization of trade, elimination of price subsidies, a balanced budget and minimalist government, resulting in increased corruption, unemployment, and greater income inequality. Poverty soared, health and education suffered, and the social safety net was frayed. Market solutions, which both the international financial organizations and the MPRP championed, did not resolve these problems. To be sure, democracy and civil liberties have made great strides, and elections until the summer of 2008 were fair and free of violence. However, parlous economic conditions do not augur well for the future. The MPRP has deviated from its social message of economic democracy and equality of economic opportunity, and the 2008-2009 world-wide financial crisis has exacerbated its problems.

La Mongolie : Transmogrification du parti communiste

Le Parti révolutionnaire du peuple mongole (PRPM) fondé en 1924, reigna sur la Mongolie en tant que parti unique communiste jusqu’en 1990. Suivant le modèle soviétique, il imposa une dictature qui se livra à une purge résultant jusqu’à environ 25,000 morts, tout en érodant le bouddhisme et en collectivisant les troupeaux. Par ailleurs, le gouvernement promut l’industrialisation et l’urbanisme tout en introduisant des systèmes de santé et d’éducation, et mit en place un plan de sécurité sociale pour l’ensemble de la population. Malgré toutes ces initiatives, la Mongolie resta isolée du reste du monde. La chute du communisme transforma le PRPM, et pour conserver le pouvoir, le parti s’aligna à des organisations internationales, qui exigèrent en retour la garantie d’une thérapie de choc, et d’une privatisation rapide, d’une libéralisation du marché, d’’élimination de subventions des prix et d’un budget équilibré, ainsi qu’une gestion contrôlée. Ceci résulta en une montée de la corruption, du chômage et en une plus grande inégalité des revenus. La pauvreté s’aggrava, la santé et l’éducation en souffrirent, et le plan de sécurité sociale se désintégra. Malgré les efforts des organisations internationales et du PRPM à instaurer des solutions ciblées pour contrebalancer un tel programme, ces solutions échouèrent à résoudre ces problèmes. Il est certain que la démocratie et les libertés civiles on fait de grands progrès, et jusqu’à l’été 2008 les élections furent transparentes et sans violence. Néanmoins, les négociations économiques ne semblent pas être de bonne augure pour l’avenir. Le PRPM s’est éloigné de son message de démocratie économique et d’égalité des chances sur le plan économique, sans compter sur la crise financière mondiale qui n’a fait qu’envenimer ces problèmes

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