Mongolian Revolution of 1990
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Mongolian Revolution of 1990 | |||
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Part of the Revolutions of 1989 | |||
Date | 10 December 1989 – 9 March 1990 (2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days) | ||
Location | |||
Resulted in | Mongolia transitions to a multi-party system
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Parties | |||
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Lead figures | |||
History of Mongolia |
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The Mongolian Revolution of 1990, known in
Although
Background
Mongolia was previously a vassal state to the
Course of events
The revolution of 1990 was primarily driven by young people who wanted a change in the country. One of the most critical groups that pushed for change was the Mongolian Democratic Union (MDU), a group of intellectuals influenced by revolutions in Eastern Europe.[11] Concepts such as glasnost, freedom of speech and economic liberties that the intellectuals were exposed to abroad inspired the initial discussions that would lead to the revolution.[12][13] The Mongolian Democratic Union was formed by the end of 1989. Many now-prominent figures such as Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj along with Dari-Sukhbaatar and Chimediin Enkhee were members of the union and would eventually come be known as the Thirteen Leaders of Mongolia's Democratic Revolution.[14][15][16] Members of the Union and anyone associated with the movement had to be secretive to ensure their security. Members that were known to be associated with the organisation were laid off on the basis of "engaging in conduct inconsistent with communist and socialist ideology".[14]
On the morning of 10 December 1989, the first open pro-democracy public demonstration occurred in front of the Youth Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar where the creation of the
The protesters demanded a multi-party system, free elections with universal suffrage, the replacement of a centrally planned economy with a market economy, private property, re-organization of the government, and protection of human rights, particularly freedom of religion.[19] The protesters injected a nationalist element into the protests by using traditional Mongolian script—which most Mongolians could not read—as a symbolic repudiation of the political system that had imposed the Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet.
Demonstrations drastically increased by late December when the news of Garry Kasparov's interview with Playboy broke. The interview suggested that the Soviet Union may sell Mongolia to China in order to raise money.[10][20] On 2 January 1990, Mongolian Democratic Union began distributing leaflets calling for a democratic revolution.[21]
On 14 January 1990, the protesters, having grown from three hundred to few thousands, met on square in front of Lenin Museum. A demonstration on Sükhbaatar Square on 21 January (in weather of −30 C) followed. Protesters carried banners alluding to Chinggis Khaan, rehabilitating a figure which the socialist school curriculums had outright banned.[22] They also celebrated Daramyn Tömör-Ochir, a politician who was purged from the MPRP in 1962 as part of the MPRP's efforts to suppress the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of Genghis Khan's birth. The protestors carried a modified Flag of Mongolia which distinctly lacked the star representing the country's socialist beliefs; this flag would eventually become the official flag after the revolution.[10]
In subsequent months activists continued to organise demonstrations, rallies, protests and
After numerous demonstrations of thousands in both the capital city and provincial centers, on 4 March 1990, the MDU and three other reform organisations held a joint outdoor mass meeting, inviting the government to attend. The government sent no representative to what became a demonstration of over 100,000 people demanding democratic change.[21] On 7 March 1990, on Sükhbaatar Square, Democratic Union initially started a hunger strike of ten, urging the current government to resign. The hunger strike escalated as thousands gathered to join the strike, declaring that the strike would not end until the resignation of the current government.[28]
The situation was tense. Behind the scenes within the Politburo there were serious discussions about cracking down on the protestors. Eventually, a decree was written awaiting approval from the party leader Jambyn Batmönkh that would effectively repress the protests. Batmönkh outwardly opposed the decree, maintaining that they must "under no circumstances resort to using violence" (Mongolian: Хэрхэвч Хүч хэрэглэж болохгүй). Those that were present there later recalled that Batmönkh said "I will never sign this. We few Mongols have not yet come to the point that we will make each other's noses bleed," smacked the table, and left the room."[29] And on 12th of March 1990, Jambyn Batmönkh, the chairman of Politburo of MPRP's Central Committee announced his resignation along with the dissolution of the Politburo .[30][31]
Elbegdorj announced the news of Politburo resignation to the hunger strikers and to people who had gathered on Sükhbaatar Square at 10:00 pm.[14] The hunger strike stopped. The MPRP Politburo resignation paved the way for the first multi-party elections in Mongolia.[23] The new government announced Mongolia's first free parliamentary elections, which were to be held in July.
Aftermath
Following the 1990 Democratic Revolution in Mongolia, Mongolia's first free, multi-party elections for a bicameral parliament were held on
Nonetheless, the new MPRP government under
The
The constitution was amended in 1992. The first election win for the democrats was the presidential election of 1993, when the opposition candidate Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat won.[34]
A
In the
See also
References
- JSTOR 45194063.
- ISBN 9028600701.
- JSTOR 444608.
- JSTOR 20037928.
- JSTOR 45194063.
- .
- JSTOR 20037928.
- ^ "Yumzhagiin Tsedenbal, Ex-Chief Of Mongolia in Hard-Line Years". The New York Times. April 1991.
- JSTOR 23614962.
- ^ ISBN 1134396732.
- JSTOR 2645184.
- ^ "Interview with Akim Gotov (in Mongolian)". The Oral History of Twentieth Century Mongolia, University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ "Transcript of interview with Khaidav Sangijav" (PDF). Civic Voices. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ ISBN 99929-74-01-X.
- ^ M., Gal. "What are the "First 13 of Democracy" doing?". Humuus (People) (in Mongolian). Ulaanbaatar. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-7452-7. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- ^ G., Dari (5 December 2011). "Democracy Days to be inaugurated". news.mn (in Mongolian). Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ "Tsakhia Elbegdorj". Community of Democracies Mongolia. Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- JSTOR 2645184.
- ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (January 1990). "With Official Permission, Change Stirs Mongolia". The New York Times: 6.
- ^ a b c d S. and S., Amarsanaa & Mainbayar (2009). Concise historical album of the Mongolian Democratic Union. pp. 3–5, 10, 33–35, 44, 47, 51–56, 58, 66.
- ^ Fineman, Mark (24 January 1990). "Mongolia Reform Group Marches to Rock Anthem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
Mongolia-watchers in Beijing said that ... the democracy movement is rooted more in nationalism than in dissent .... 'Watching it unfold, you get the feeling this is more a pro-nationalist and pro-Mongolian movement than it is anti-party or anti-government,' said a diplomat who left Ulan Bator on Monday.
- ^ ISBN 0-7146-4951-1. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ Baabar (16 November 2009). "Democratic Revolution and Its Terrible Explanations". baabar.mn (in Mongolian). Archived from the original on 27 December 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- ^ "Democracy's Hero: Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj". Washington: The International Republican Institute. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Mongolia Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Democratic Revolution". The International Republican Institute. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 December 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-520-24419-1. pp. 1–28
- ^ Wilhelm, Kathy (12 March 1990). "Mongolian Politburo resigns en masse". The Free Lance Star. Fredericksburg, VA. p. 4. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ B. and R., Enkhtuul and Oyun. "Batmönkh's widow A. Daariimaa:If my husband was working as a professor, he would have been alive today". Zuunii Medee (Century News). Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ^ "Entire Mongolian Politburo resigns". Lawrence Journal-World. Lawrence, KS. 12 March 1990. pp. 8A. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ Ch., Munkhbayar (13 March 2013). "What was the Mongolian democratic revolution?". dorgio.mn (in Mongolian). Archived from the original on 6 May 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ Holley, David (24 July 1990). "Briefing Paper : For the First Time, Mongolians Have Political Choices". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ Peter Staisch, Werner M. Prohl, Dschingis Khan lächelt, Bonn 1998, p.38ff
- ^ Ochirbat was originally a MPRP member, but when his party nominated an orthodox communist as their presidential candidate, he agreed to run as the candidate of the Democratic Party that stemmed from the Democratic Union.
- ^ Lawrence, Susan V. (14 June 2011). "Mongolia: Issues for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- ^ "Mongolia Profile". BBC News. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Mongolia's State Great Hural (the Parliament)". parliament.mn (in Mongolian). Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ^ G., Dashrentsen (1 July 2013). "A party that is defeated in five elections in row is dissolved". baabar.mn (in Mongolian). Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ^ a b "Incumbent Mongolian president wins 2nd term on pro-Western, anti-graft platform". The Washington Post. Washington. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.