Some cities make sense. The streets are oriented along straight, clean lines, laid out in a grid, the names clearly displayed and cross walks at every corner. Not Tbilisi.
Tiny cobblestoned side streets, barely wide enough for one car, feed into multi-lane winding boulevards. The lines on the street are only for decoration and the din of traffic constant. Street vendors selling used books, toys, spice and textiles set up next to stores that sell Western luxury bands. Orthodox Priests walk next to tourists.
Strolling around a city is great way to get a sense of how people get on with their daily lives. There is another.
Walk into a super market and go up and down the aisles and observe the brands. What is apparent is that the shelves are filled with food that is imported from a number of countries. This is an acid test of the state of sophistication of the domestic economy and ability to satisfy consumer demand.
Georgia has to import many of its consumer goods. What I also noticed was that the fruit section was rather limited. This is not because fruits and vegetables are not available. The climate in Georgia is well suited to producing many varieties. The reason reflects the depth of the informal economy. Most fruits and vegetables are sold by small specialty stores (store may be an over statement) located in neighborhoods just off the main street. We must remember that Georgia, as an independent country is only 28 years old. But it has a long history of conflict due to its location.
Generally, when reading about Tbilisi the city is described as the epitome of East meets West, a Silk Road crossroads where Persian, Byzantine, Arab, Mongol, Ottoman, and Russian imperial forces each left their own distinctive cultural mark.Tbilisi’s location on major trading routes rendered the city geopolitically and economically significant. All this is true but the city’s reality is more complicated.
Georgia is a country looking to establish its place in the world order. Here we have a people embracing their independence and desirous to become part of the West. This was the single common theme of nearly every meeting we attended, regardless of topic. There is a real-world lesson for anyone interested in global policy. We should not underestimate the power of democracy as a concept and the challenges associated with transforming a society.
-- Carl W., Cohort 4