h only a mild chill” (Estonia’s 1). Part of the reason for this resiliency was a westward oriented trade philosophy.
However, the economy of Estonia was not its only challenge where democratization and self-sufficiency are concerned. Estonia also needed to deal with the condition of its government infrastructure, one that was not conducive during the communist control era to democratic operation. Therefore, the group of reformers that replaced the ousted economic reformers was more interested and focused on making governmental changes. Their objectives were based on an overhaul of the government machinery, “Estonia’s courts, police and civil service, though better than most of those elsewhere in the former Soviet empire, are still in far worse shape than in the Nordic countries which Estonians seek to emulate. Civil servants’ pay is too low to attract the brightest people. Government offices often seem to be run more for the convenience of civil servants than citizens. Some ministries are corrupt. Much of rural Estonia is decrepit” (Estonia’s 1). While this group of reformers was more popular with the people of Estonia, they were hard pressed to achieve more than a restoration of the skeleton of the Estonia Republic.
While Estonia is in the midst of transition, the majority of its political and economic policies have been geared toward free trade and independence. This is why joining the EU is not appealing to all Estonians, since they feel it is subjected themselves to control by one more supranational. Despite the feelings of hesitancy, the majority of reforms and programs instituted by Estonia have been geared toward integration with the EU. Despite anything else, Estonia is definitely the Baltic state that possesses the most advanced economy, and the one with the most policies geared toward liberalization of trade and economic reform geared toward free markets. Estonia did not bother requesting a t...