The Baltic States Under Communism

Economically, the Baltic republics endured everything the rest of the communist world had to go through—inefficient industry, shortages of housing and consumer goods, inferior products, economic decisions made by planners in Moscow, and long lines to buy anything. The situation was better in the Baltics than elsewhere in the union, however: the standard of living was higher and poverty not quite so prevalent. Known as the “Soviet West,” the Baltic republics were an attractive destination for people from all over the Union.

The economy was drastically altered by the Soviets, though; industry was built up, primarily in Estonia and Latvia, and the farms were collectivized. As in other parts of the USSR, collectivization brought a huge decline in productivity: People not only lost the will to work, they also would rather slaughter their cattle to give them to the state. The Baltic countries are still feeling the effects of this economic change—whereas agriculture was crucial to their economies between the world wars, and the Balts were phenomenal food exportees , the Baltic governments are as of yet unable to repeat their previous success.

The Baltic States had practically every aspect of their nations drastically altered by Soviet power. Yet although they endured terrible repression, they were given just enough freedom to be able to survive both as national states and as ethnic cultures. When the opportunity to gain freedom came—and it did in 1991, the Balts were able to show that they hadn’t been totally destroyed.

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