"RAIL WAR" IN KUZBASS IN 1998: STAGES, CHARACTERISTICS, RESULTS

Inefficiency of national government in problem solving during market reorganization resulted in All-Russian protest action of the population in 1998. This protest action was later called "the rail war". In May and July 1998 desperate people set up a railway block on the way between Moscow and Vorkuta, central and southern regions of Russia and the central part of the Trans-Siberian Railway (the territory of Kemerovo region). It was for the first time that Kuzbass drew so much attention. The protest action provoked much controversy. But at the same time it strengthened people's sympathy with striking miners, mechanic engineers, teachers, doctors, representatives of other professional groups and Kuzbass pensioners as well. During the protest action the population of this industrial but economically depressed region demonstrated high political activity. The reasons for high political activity were closely connected with serious problems in coal mining such as productivity decline that complicated the activities of all branches of economy. "The rail war" lasted for 27 days, and it was the most radical and insistent in comparison with other protest movements in Russia. At the first stage (in May) the main demand of the population was dept repayment and reform shift. After the meeting of protest movement representatives with the authorities an agreement of dept repayment was signed. However many demands were not satisfied. This fact provoked the second stage of "the rail war" in July 1998. At the second stage the main people's demand was the resignation of President Boris Yeltsin. In July the conflict appeared to be rather sustained as neither the government nor the protest participants were ready to give in. In many respects the conflict was resolved thanks to the governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev. Although Tuleyev criticized the government's work he was against the Trans-Siberian Railway block as it seriously damaged region's economy. The results of "the rail war" in 1998 in Kuzbass are contradictory. Some positive results of "the rail war" are worth mentioning: 1) the protest action raised the region's profile in social and political life of Russia; 2) workers got experience in asserting their rights; 3) since then the authorities paid greater attention to social and economic problems of the region; 4) criminal responsibility for wages detention replaced administrative responsibility. "The rail war" had negative results as well: 1) the whole county suffered huge economic losses because of the Trans-Siberian railway block; 2) Kuzbass turned into less developed region; 3) workers' disappointment in job opportunities resulted in a shortage of qualified personnel. "The rail war" serves as an example of hastiness and forced market reorganization in Russia in the 1990s.

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