ERA OF DEMOCRACY AND REFORM (1990s to the Present)
The disintegration of the socialist system began in the mid-1980s; by the late 80s, "Perestroika" (restructuring) had commenced in the USSR, the Communist Party had suffered defeat in Poland, and the two Germanys—long considered irreconcilable—had reunified, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the USSR and the emergence of independent states in 1991.
Influenced by these global developments, the national consciousness of the Mongolian people began to reawaken. Critical of the prevailing political climate, a group of students from the State Pedagogical Institute launched the newspaper *Tsagiin Toli* ("Mirror of the Times"), while the "Orchlon" ("Universe") club for political enthusiasts was established at the Trade Union Cultural Palace. Other groups, clubs, and alliances—such as the "Yertönts" ("World") debate club, the "Young Economists' Club," the "New Era" group, and the "Progressive Youth Alliance" (formed by young people at the National University of Mongolia)—also began to emerge; however, none of them possessed clearly defined policies, regulations, or platforms. Nevertheless, these young people began to influence the public mindset and political consciousness—both overtly and covertly—by posting leaflets on city streets that called for social justice and the establishment of democracy.
During the Second Conference of Young Artists held in November 1989, delegates proposed forming a "Union of Young Artists" to accelerate political reform. Subsequently, on December 7, a group of students from the Khovd Teachers' College held a gathering; then, on December 10—International Human Rights Day—a political rally attended by approximately 200 people took place in the square in front of the Youth Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar, where the official founding of the Mongolian Democratic Union (MDU) was announced. S. Zorig, a postgraduate student and lecturer in the theory of scientific communism at the National University of Mongolia, was elected as the MDU's general coordinator. Participants in the rally held up slogans such as "We need a multi-party system" and "Let us uphold human rights to the highest degree," while the anthem of the Democratic Revolution—"The Song of the Bell" by S. Tsogtsaikhan—was sung:
I had a nightmare last night.
A long hand tormented me.
It stifled the words I wished to speak
And veiled the eyes with which I see.
Fortunately, a bell rang out.
I struggled to wake from my slumber.
The sound of the bell awakens us,
The sound of the bell awakens us...
...rousing thousands of young people from their deep sleep and calling upon them to fight for their freedom.