Turkmenistan

[Muzk]

So, Turkmenistan seems to have a post-USSR government which claims to be communist. Apparently it is not.

Is it some revisionist crap?

[Dimentio]

It is not claiming to be communist.

During Niyazov (1985-2006), it moved from late Soviet stagnation into what could only be described as a caricature of North Korea (how it now is possible to be a caricature of a caricature I cannot explain). Golden statues of the leader, some sort of book which everyone was forced to memorise, hate minutes. Their dictator did also cut down on libraries and hospitals much, in fact closing all libraries outside of the capitol.

The state ideology during Niyazov was basically some form of grotesquely exaggerated nationalism inspired by Atatürk's Turkey and neo-religious cults. The leader was renamed into Turkmenbashi - The Father of all Turkmens. He also wrote a holy book where he basically declared himself some sort of prophet, declaring Turkmenistan the greatest country on Earth, claiming that the Turkmen people basically had founded all civilisations of the world, invented the wheel, etc... It had very reactionary viewpoints, namely respect your clan elders, the clan system is the best and you should chew on bones so you get strong teeth (which is one of the few things of said book which is correct).

The months were renamed after the president's late relatives.

Luckily for the tarnished name of communism, not even right-wing sources are claiming that it is a communist state - mostly because Turkmenistan has followed a rather steady foreign policy which is favourable both to the west and to a lesser extent to Russia. If you don't squeak, you won't be labelled a baby eater - not even if you actually eat babies. The ruling party of Turkmenistan is calling itself "The Democratic Party" and is neither democratic or a party.

Their current leader is a bit less abnormal and has initiated some reforms which under the circumstances are pretty sane.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I've heard that Niyazov had Turkmenistani televisions have an omnipresent silhouette of him on the screen at all times. I don't know if that's true or not, though.

[Dimentio]

I've heard that Niyazov had Turkmenistani televisions have an omnipresent silhouette of him on the screen at all times. I don't know if that's true or not, though.

Probably not true any more given that he is dead.