The Ukraine is a country struggling for independence. It has gained international recognition as a independent country but has yet to achieve independence in its own mind. Ukraine has many problems in the arenas of politics and economics. Politically the country is fragmented. Economic stagnation, inflation, and an entrenched non-capitalistic philosophy hinder development. The inability to survive without cooperation from Russia remains to be accomplished. Its military is weak but enjoys a high level of trust by most of the population. The Ukraine's new president has begun a program of reform which may impact on these problems but only if given enough time and cooperation from within the country and international support. To survive as an independent state, Ukraine needs to reform and democratize its economy and state structures and build a national identity.
The Ukraine does not possess a history of political unity. There is a marked absence of mass political organizations. The country lacks a political culture with the exception of Galicia. It is only in Galicia that there have been independent political parties or organizations. Galicia was not incorporated into the USSR until 1939. Other than in the nationalistic circles in Galicia, only small groups of dissidents which include the intelligentsia, actively oppose the dominance of the Communist Party. The Communist Party's rule is unopposed by the majority of the population.
The unresponsiveness of the people of Ukraine to the political climate has both positive and negative implications. The innate sluggishness means that the population does not rebel against an ineffective government, but may allow the program of reform advocated by President Kuchma to begin having results while it is experiencing painful changes. The demonstrations in favor of independence have not been repeated since independence was won. Communist and Nationalist rallies have at...