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Survival against the Odds: The Baltic States at 100

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 November 2019

Andres Kasekamp
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Abstract

This essay examines how Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have managed to secure their independence and analyzes how they have dealt with the internal and external challenges to their state-building efforts. It compares the first period of statehood between the two world wars with the current period of independence beginning with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Among the critical external tasks they have faced were deterring former imperial powers, fostering regional cooperation and gaining a voice in international organizations. Internally, consolidating democratic systems and integration of ethnic minorities have been the two most significant challenges.

Type
Critical Discussion Forum: 1918/2018
Information
Slavic Review , Volume 78 , Issue 3 , Fall 2019 , pp. 640 - 647
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies 2019 

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