The death of a Russian icon

The late 20th century produced many iconic moments, etched forever in the memories of those who witnessed the fall of the Soviet Union. One of the most powerful of these was the image of Boris Yeltsin, standing atop a tank to rally the forces of freedom against a coup intent on restoring Communist Party as Russia's ruling party.

Yeltsin, who died Monday at age 76, succeeded in that effort and became Russia's first democratically elected president. In many ways, he came to embody democracy and freedom in all its forms, both good and bad. He could be outrageous and consumed with excesses as he danced red-faced with a rock group or stumbled through inarticulate statements. But he also could be brilliant when it came to pushing through a Russian Constitution that guarantees free speech, the free practice of religion and other important human rights.

Freedom offers choices, and people do not always make the best ones. So it was with Yeltsin. He later acknowledged he moved too quickly with democratic reforms. The Associated Press quoted him as saying he was wrong to believe "that we could overcome everything in one spurt."

As a result, Russia suffered some difficult economic times during the Yeltsin years, with high inflation and unemployment. Corrupt forces also gained a strong foothold in Russia's fledgling free-enterprise system, making some people extremely rich. And yet, he was an extraordinary politician who somehow rose above these problems to win re-election, then handed the office to his handpicked successor, Vladimir Putin, who holds it to this day.

In retrospect, the Yeltsin years looked a lot more promising than does present-day Russia. Putin has subtly dismantled a lot of Yeltsin's reforms, gaining control of the major media, consolidating his power and using the military to violently crack down on public dissent.

Russia's road to freedom remains uncertain. But then, no nation wins a permanent foothold on liberty. It must be cherished and reclaimed by each new generation. The late 20th century produced many extraordinary historical figures, from Yeltsin to Mikhail Gorbachev, to Lech Walesa and Ronald Reagan. Together, they brought and end to decades of tyrannical rule in Eastern Europe.

But they did not solve all problems, nor did they completely banish tyranny. The current generation has to take up that charge.