Nazarbayev and the making of Kazakhstan / Jonathan Aitken.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 253-254) and index.

Ancestry and childhood -- Student and steelworker -- Young communist, young husband, young rebel -- Climbing the party ladder -- A frustrated prime minister 1984-1986 -- December 1986 and its consequences -- The coup and the breakup -- The birth pains of independence -- To nuclear or not to nuclear -- New currency -- new constitution -- new economy -- Russia, the Caspian and China -- Entering the 21st century part I -- the domestic president -- Entering the 21st century part II -- the international president -- A capital vision.

Jonathan Aitken skilfully analyses the country's achievements in all its complexity to explain Kazakhstan and Nazarbayev's emergence on the international stage. Kazakhstan is colossal in size, complicated in its history, colourful in its culture and is a nation state that most outsiders know little of. Much of the existing narrative revolves around the country's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. But his life can only be understood in the context of the land in which he was born, raised and became a leader. For centuries the tribes of Kazakhstan had been plundered and conquered by foreign invaders. The most ruthless of these were the 20th century leaders of the Soviet Union, but after its collapse it was Nazarbayev who emerged as the new President of the nation state. Jonathan Aitken's masterly book is a riveting account of how Kazakhstan has capitalised on its natural resources (including oil) to become one of the great economic success stories of the modern era. Nazarbayev himself is widely admired as a political leader and strategist, having overcome extraordinary crises including hyperinflation, food shortages and the emigration of two million people. However, his record on human rights is less than perfect and the independence of the judiciary and the press are questionable. Corruption is also widespread in Kazakh society. The obstacles faced in becoming a successful economy are described and examined honestly in this truly fascinating story.