Could modern Azerbaijan exist without Russian and Kho?

Doctor of political sciences, professor Vahe Davtyan writes:

“At the Shushi media forum, Azerbaijani President Aliyev again referred to the “colonial heritage” of the XIX-XX centuries, accusing the USSR of exploiting the republic’s resources, particularly oil wealth.

However, an important question arises. Could modern Azerbaijan exist without Russian and Soviet modernization?

It was during that period that the foundations of the country’s industrial economy were formed. the oil industry was created, the infrastructure was developed, the education system and the engineering school were formed.

Today it is convenient to talk about “billion tons of oil export”, forgetting that it was the Soviet period that turned Azerbaijan into an industrial republic with a developed energy system.

At the same time, Aliyev rightly draws attention to the environmental consequences of large-scale exploitation of resources. However, another question arises here. Why is the talk about resource “colonialism” limited only to the Soviet period?

In 1994 the so-called “Deal of the Century” was concluded, which opened the oil sector of Azerbaijan to international corporations. 11 large companies were included in the consortium, and the energy policy of the country was more closely connected with the interests of external actors.
This stage became the beginning of the formation of a new model of Azerbaijan’s dependence.

The BP company took a key role in the oil sector of Azerbaijan. However, despite huge revenues from oil exports, environmental problems in the Caspian region continued to worsen.

Moreover, it was Aliyev who repeatedly stated that the level of the Caspian Sea is approaching the historical minimum of the last 200 years.
According to the data presented by the Azerbaijani side, the level of the Caspian Sea has decreased by about 1 meter in the last 5 years, by 1.5 meters in the last 10 years, and by 2.5 meters in the last 30 years. Currently, the rate of decrease is estimated at 20-30 cm per year.

So, the question arises: if the soviet resource model is declared “colonial” due to its environmental consequences, then how should we evaluate the post-soviet model, in which the control of strategic areas was transferred to transnational corporations?

Neocolonialism differs from classical colonialism in that it comes not through administrative control, but through control over technology, investment, and resource flows.

The rhetoric about “colonialism” requires consistency. Otherwise, it turns into a tool of political conjuncture.”

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