The Independence of Uzbekistan Was Good for the Uzbeks Even Though They Have Basically the Same System of Government as in the Soviet Union

It is in the nature of things for people of countries under some forced union of a unifying power to become content or to have a higher standard of living when their country acquires its independence. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was one of these unifying powers, which influenced several regions to unite as Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs), in 1922, under the same government. Uzbekistan was a land divided by khanates when it became an SSR. Joining the USSR actually helped Uzbekistan; the Soviets built roads, schools, and modern houses, and expanded industry. Some things that the Soviet rule caused, however, were not as beneficial to Uzbekistan; ethnic violence became very strong, and the environment was compromised when the land was over-fertilized, and the river water over-irrigated. Uzbekistan was one of the first countries to claim independence from the USSR, in late August of 1991, and later joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), in early 1992, which is essentially like the USSR except the countries within it are independent and ruled by their own governments. Uzbekistan¡¦s independence was indeed to the advantage of the Uzbeks, even though the present form of government is essentially the same as the previous one.
Uzbekistan¡¦s current government is a republic only in name; in essence, there is authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch. The government of Uzbekistan, under Soviet rule, was very oppressive and was forced upon the Uzbek people. For example, The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) was the only legal party allowed in Uzbekistan, and other SSRs, until as late as 1990. (Pryce-Jones, 482) Uzbeks were underrepresented in the higher levels of the Communist Party-ruled countries, and they were even more underrepresented in the central levels of the party in Moscow. The Soviets ran their government so that the people¡¦s will was not needed to have a fair representation of

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