Modern Mongolia: From Khans to Commissars to Capitalists

Rossabis Werk beschreibt die Entwicklung der Mongolei von 1990 bis Anfang des 21 Jahrhunderts. Es konzentriert sich hauptsaechlich auf wirtschafts- und sozialpolitische Aspekte, und darauf, was nach Meinung des Autors falsch gemacht wurde. Das Buch enthaelt einige recht interessante Aussagen und eine sehr umfangreiche Literaturliste im Anhang, allerdings konnte ich nur wenig fuer mich neues entdecken, und einige Saetze schienen sich staendig zu wiederholen. Das groesste Problem fuer mich waren offensichtliche Fehlinterpretationen des Autors: Wenn 37% der Rekruten aus medizinischen Gruenden ausgemustert werden, heisst dass nicht, dass sie wirklich zu krank fuer die Armee sind, sondern dass sie es geschafft haben, das passende Attest zu besorgen. Die meisten Autos in UB sehen nicht so aus, als wuerden sie Auslaendern oder Neureichen gehoeren, etc. etc.

This is the only book that comprehensively details the history of the post socialist period. However, it is extremely biased and ideological. The author presents every thing that happens through his anti-capitalist anti-IMF perspective. The book suffers from a complete lack of nuance and perspective. While I read it and found it useful at times, it was a slog and often infuriating in its lack of understanding and nuance. I live here in Mongolia and am very interested in its history, so I read it, but I had to grit my teeth to finish it. While some of his critiques of the changes brought after end of the socialist period are legitimate, he fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the transition. He fails to understand that the changes were necessary because the old system was fundamentally flawed and in the end it self-destructed. For example, he faults the international financial institutions (IMF/World Bank/ADB, etc) for "forcing" a reduction in social spending missing the point that while social spending under the socialist period had some extremely positive outcomes (dramatic improvements in health care, education, etc), the government did not have a choice. The old system left the Govt broke and massively in debt to the Russians. The socialist system was fiction. Not only was the Mongolian govt massively broke and hugely in debt to Russia (something like 8 times their national GDP if I remember correctly - Mongolia is still paying it off today), but the entire basis of their economy collapsed with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Another example is his critique of the privatization of the herds. He makes it sound like the Socialist period of collective herds was really great. Except that every herder I have spoken to, hates that period. Yes, privatization has led to some serious problems, and the collective approach had some benefits, but the people themselves prefer the new system by a wide margin. A point lost in the authors anxiousness to critique privatization. There are legitimate and serious critiques that can be made about the world's response to Mongolia's predicament, but this book completely misses the target. In the end, if you are really interested in learning about the post-socialist period, then you should read it (but with a healthy dose of skepticism).

I definitely recommend reading this book. The author - a historian of Central and Inner Asia having many years experience of working in Mongolia and collaborating with different institutions and their people including academia, civil society organizations and etc. examined his collected data and sources very well, scrutinized social, economical and political conditions in Mongolia after the collapse of the Socialist regime and the Centrally planned economic system, spoke up his opinions on international "donor" agencies, attempted to describe the reality in social, political and economic life in Mongolia of that period. The book is worth reading.