‘There's no joy any more’: The experience of reform in a kuzbass mining settlement

Abstract

'OUR MISERABLE SITUATION HAS BECOME UNBEARABLE'; that was the statement chosen by a full 32% of Russians to describe their current situation in a September 1994 survey carried out by the Russian Centre for Public Opinion Research (VTsIOM). Only 11.5% opted for 'things are not so bad and it is possible to live', while 46.8% felt that 'life is difficult but nevertheless one can endure it'.1 Whilst this shows that a majority of Russians are displaying their customary endurance in the face of adversity, it also underlines the fact that the legendary patience of Russians cannot be relied on forever. All the recent public opinion surveys have reflected serious disillusionment with the reform process. The negative effects of economic liberalisation, in particular falling living standards and increased insecurity, have not surprisingly been unpopular, while political reform has done little to improve citizens' trust in political institutions.2 Increasing lawlessness, meanwhile, is a potent cause of demoralisation and despair. None of the major parties commands substantial support, and the faith in the ability of new democratic parties to resolve the crisis appears to be rapidly waning.3 Amid this fragmentation, there is worrying evidence that the prospect of a 'strong leader' is becoming ever more seductive.4 Although the survey data make it clear that Russians are dissatisfied with reform, they cannot capture the complexity of Russian attitudes towards the communist past and the confused present. Quantitative research is also unable to provide detailed information about the impact of political and economic reform on the lives of individuals and communities. This article is intended to provide a partial remedy to these shortfalls using qualitative data. It presents an analysis of the impact of reform on one Kuzbass mining community and is intended to highlight the particular concerns which lie behind the general dissatisfaction with political and economic reform. Since mineworkers were previously seen as a major pro-reform constituency, their feelings about the way that the reform process has developed are particularly salient.