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In the beginning of 1990s, Belarus had more potential than Poland and Baltic states to become a strong prosperous democracy - it was a centre of electronics in

In the beginning of 1990s, Belarus had more potential than Poland and Baltic states to become a strong prosperous democracy - it was a centre of electronics in USSR, had very good universities with mathematics, physics, electronics, engineering. It had developed textile industry, built heavy carriers, tractors. Sure, they needed innovations, market thinking, and transparent controlled privatization, but there were hope and enthusiasm in the beginning of 1990s. My opinion, Russian influence killed it eventually - they helped Lukashenko to stay in power in 1996 and made the country dependent on Russian markets, oil, gas, money - and Lukashenko spent all the money on economically ineffective government projects, lost investors, kept inefficient model. The rigid, indecisive, and toothless politics of the EU toward Lukashenko did not help either. In a short perspective, it may look morally wrong to work and cooperate with “Last Dictatorship”, but politics is a long game of planting seeds and growing influence, small wins, and changing minds - such strategic thinking is unfortunately beyond and above our bureaucrats. Now the country is basically lost and hopeless. Do not be under the spell of its software industry and some improvements in Minsk - it is a tiny part of the picture. Young and active leave the country. More than half of people who studies CS, physics, or applied maths from my generation (30-35+) live in Europe, US, Australia. State medicine is poor - medical professionals just run away from the country. Construction workers, trade professionals leave for Russia, Poland, Baltic States. I learnt from my connections there that many bright young people learn German, English, Polish, or Czech to go study after school abroad and then stay there, no plan B to stay in Belarus. They see no future in country. Recently, it got even worse: first, Belarusian military pushed for stricter draft rules, and, second, Russia has successfully pushed for further integration. It leads to even more migration of the young and educated, plus people living abroad drop their citizenship for a new one - few are excited to find themselves one day a subject of Russian Federation.

gdy 7y ago
"made the country dependent on Russian markets, oil, gas, money" How exactly did they do it? It's not like with different president Belarus wouldn't need all that. You need to take responsibility for your country instead of blaming Russia and emigrating.
- playing_colours 7y ago
  They sold oil and gas with discounts, pushed for economic union, gave preferences. Belarusian government did not do anything to help private businesses, attract investors, go to new markets and industries. To keep their power, they sold country. About “taking responsibility” - people actually take responsibility for their future, family, children. That’s why they migrate. One can only take responsibility over what they can really change. Not everyone is born a hero to fight the system, very few heroes are successful, and we have only one life. It is safe to call for resistance from a cozy chair, but in fact, it is no romantic endeavor: people got tortured, imprisoned, disappear. Lives of common people can be sacrificed in revolutions for the ultimate benefit of new rulers.
  - gdy 7y ago
    So now discounts and preferences are a bad thing suddenly? "Belarusian government did not do anything" How is that Russia's fault? "To keep their power, they sold country" What exactly did Russia get? Belarus is still a sovereign country. So you are saying that you would've stayed in Belarus if not for Russia?
    - playing_colours 7y ago
      Too many questions, my friend, shallow questions. And it seems like not for a good discussion, but for pushing your personal opinion, manipulations, or some agenda. Please, do some research - on how a large country can make a small neighbour dependent on money injections, how they can ask to pay for credits with key state factories, keep hordes of agents and influencers in their governments, military, among politicians, on the history of Russian relations (btw, yesterday Finns remembered Winter War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War). “So you are saying that you would’ve stayed in Belarus if not for Russia” I never said that, bad try.
      - gdy 7y ago
        Or maybe it was too many unsubstantiated statements on your part? The questions don't look shallow to me, they are specific, and your response is hand-waving and 'please do some research'. And here I thought you did that research yourself before blaming Russia.
sbmthakur 7y ago
> made the country dependent on Russian markets, oil, gas, money What were their options when it came to oil and gas?
- playing_colours 7y ago
  Develop other industries, rely less on money from oil refinement.
discobot 7y ago
>... had very good universities with mathematics, physics, electronics, engineering. It had developed textile industry, built heavy carriers, tractors. Well, so was Ukraine, and look at it now.
RomanPushkin 7y ago
> State medicine is poor b/s Belarus Is Fast Becoming a Medical Tourism Mecca https://www.argophilia.com/news/belarus-is-fast-becoming-a-medical-tourism-mecca/221761/ https://www.argophilia.com/news/belarus-is-fast-becoming-a-m... I know many, well, Russian speaking folks who fly to Belarus for a medical tourism purposes. It's much cheaper, and quality is often better. Best bang for the buck!
- playing_colours 7y ago
  Man, how you can call b/c? You read articles, I talk to my friends and relatives there, my mother is a doctor. First, there is a number of private and state clinics and practices mostly in the capital, where they can afford good equipment, and they make money on medical tourists or locals with money. Most of medical industry is outside of this spot and in a much worse condition, the further you go to the province - lack of medical staff, tools, medicine, over-regulations. Second, the salaries of doctors and medical assistants are ridiculous - an experienced doctor makes 400 USD a month, medical sisters and junior doctors even less. Sure, there are successful surgeons, good doctors in private centres, or stomatologists that make 1000 USD and more, but they are not representative for the general population.
tim333 7y ago
It's always been a problem with communal equality focused systems that the highly qualified find they can make more going elsewhere.

gdy 7y ago

"made the country dependent on Russian markets, oil, gas, money" How exactly did they do it? It's not like with different president Belarus wouldn't need all that. You need to take responsibility for your country instead of blaming Russia and emigrating.

playing_colours 7y ago
They sold oil and gas with discounts, pushed for economic union, gave preferences. Belarusian government did not do anything to help private businesses, attract investors, go to new markets and industries. To keep their power, they sold country. About “taking responsibility” - people actually take responsibility for their future, family, children. That’s why they migrate. One can only take responsibility over what they can really change. Not everyone is born a hero to fight the system, very few heroes are successful, and we have only one life. It is safe to call for resistance from a cozy chair, but in fact, it is no romantic endeavor: people got tortured, imprisoned, disappear. Lives of common people can be sacrificed in revolutions for the ultimate benefit of new rulers.
- gdy 7y ago
  So now discounts and preferences are a bad thing suddenly? "Belarusian government did not do anything" How is that Russia's fault? "To keep their power, they sold country" What exactly did Russia get? Belarus is still a sovereign country. So you are saying that you would've stayed in Belarus if not for Russia?
  - playing_colours 7y ago
    Too many questions, my friend, shallow questions. And it seems like not for a good discussion, but for pushing your personal opinion, manipulations, or some agenda. Please, do some research - on how a large country can make a small neighbour dependent on money injections, how they can ask to pay for credits with key state factories, keep hordes of agents and influencers in their governments, military, among politicians, on the history of Russian relations (btw, yesterday Finns remembered Winter War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War). “So you are saying that you would’ve stayed in Belarus if not for Russia” I never said that, bad try.
    - gdy 7y ago
      Or maybe it was too many unsubstantiated statements on your part? The questions don't look shallow to me, they are specific, and your response is hand-waving and 'please do some research'. And here I thought you did that research yourself before blaming Russia.

sbmthakur 7y ago

> made the country dependent on Russian markets, oil, gas, money What were their options when it came to oil and gas?

playing_colours 7y ago
Develop other industries, rely less on money from oil refinement.

discobot 7y ago

>... had very good universities with mathematics, physics, electronics, engineering. It had developed textile industry, built heavy carriers, tractors. Well, so was Ukraine, and look at it now.

RomanPushkin 7y ago

> State medicine is poor b/s Belarus Is Fast Becoming a Medical Tourism Mecca https://www.argophilia.com/news/belarus-is-fast-becoming-a-medical-tourism-mecca/221761/ https://www.argophilia.com/news/belarus-is-fast-becoming-a-m... I know many, well, Russian speaking folks who fly to Belarus for a medical tourism purposes. It's much cheaper, and quality is often better. Best bang for the buck!

playing_colours 7y ago
Man, how you can call b/c? You read articles, I talk to my friends and relatives there, my mother is a doctor. First, there is a number of private and state clinics and practices mostly in the capital, where they can afford good equipment, and they make money on medical tourists or locals with money. Most of medical industry is outside of this spot and in a much worse condition, the further you go to the province - lack of medical staff, tools, medicine, over-regulations. Second, the salaries of doctors and medical assistants are ridiculous - an experienced doctor makes 400 USD a month, medical sisters and junior doctors even less. Sure, there are successful surgeons, good doctors in private centres, or stomatologists that make 1000 USD and more, but they are not representative for the general population.

tim333 7y ago

It's always been a problem with communal equality focused systems that the highly qualified find they can make more going elsewhere.