Soviet Union1985-1991
1985Failed attempts at reformStagnant economy (oil prices dropped)War in AfghanistanSurge of nationalism in “republics”–Baltic states–Eastern blocMikhail Gorbachev allowed open criticism
1991Boris Yeltsin seized power in a coupGorbachev toppled via his own reformsUSSR collapsed and the CIS is instituted
Rise of GorbachevMarch 1985- December 1991
This was the Soviet Union in 19911. Armenia2. Azerbaijan3. Belarus4. Estonia5. Georgia6. Kazakhstan7. Kyrgyzstan8. Latvia9. Lithuania10.Moldova11.Russia12.Tajikistan13.Turkmenista
n14.Ukraine15.Uzbekistan
Between 1969 and 1987Global shift in generation reformAfghanistan was the USSR’s VietnamChernobyl nuclear plant disaster (1986)Glasnost and perestroika reforms
1985: Rise of GorbachevKonstantin Chermenko, last of the old-liners, diesMikhail Gorbachev, first of the technocrats, becomes General SecretaryRise of de-Stalinization generation from Khrushchev’s 1950sConsolidate power to provide reform momentum
Out With the Old…Chermenko Gorbachev
US Reaction to Change1. Carter
sends aid to
Pakistan
2. Pakistan aids
Mujahedeen rebels against
Afghanistan-Soviet
puppet gov’t
3. Soviets intervene in Afghanistan
4. US embargos USSR for invading
Afghanistan
5. Reagan increases military spending from
7% of GNP to 27%
6. Soviets match % at the
expense of consumer goods
7. Reagan supplies
Afghan rebels with Stinger
missiles
8. Reagan actively pursues a
cheap oil policy
10. USSR goes
bankrupt!
End of Détente
REFORMSEconomic, Political, Foreign Policy
Law on Cooperatives (May ‘88)
• Private ownership• First since Lenin’s
NEP• Services,
manufacturing, foreign trade privatized
• Cooperative restaurants, shops, factories allowed
• Socialism weakened
Glasnost• Speech and
press freed up
• Pressure on conservatives
• Seeks support from Soviet people for economic policies
The New Openness• Political prisoners and
dissidents released from gulags in Siberia
• Public opinion polls• State archives
accessible to public• Gender studies, stats
on crime, income, abortion, infant mortality, suicide published
Politics Gets Westernized• Democratization
• Multi-Party Elections
• June 1988 CPSU’s 19th Party Conference launches radical change
• Congress of Peoples’ Deputies established for legislation
Changes in the Soviet Union• Gorbachev could be
forced to resign if the elite are dissatisfied
• President is independent of the CPSU and could only be impeached if law is directly violated
• CPSU is deprived of direct political power
Unintended Consequenc
e
Media exposes severe social and
economic problems
Problems shownpoor housingalcoholismdrug abusepollutionout-dated factoriescorruption
Archives Show State Secrets
Gulags for opponentsStalin’s treaty with HitlerGreat PurgesLoss in AfghanistanMishandling of Chernobyl
Hitler-Stalin Pact
Break Down of the Warsaw PactLech Walesa’s rise in Poland under Solidarity Movement in 1980-1989Romania’s violent uprising in 19891990-91—loss of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Hungary
Walesa of PolandReagan at the Berlin Wall Hungarian
Comrades
Romanian Revolt by Army & Workers against Ceausescu John Lennon Wall in Prague, Czech.
Like Nationalist Revolts within Its Own Borders
Feb ‘88—Azerbaijanis v Armenians for ethnic states lead to massacresBaltic SSRs revolt and gain sovereignty—Lithuania (’90), Latvia (‘91), and Estonia (‘91)
Latvia Museum of OccupationGeorgia Museum
Perestroika Poster
Ukrainian Museum
Glasnost v PerestroikaGlasnost• Free speech• Free press• Access to
archives• Political
parties• Nationalist,
ethnic movements
• Labor rights
Perestroika• Private business• End gov’t
monopoly of the “means of production”
• Competition in export trade
• Decentralization inroads
Loss of Economic Control• State forced to bail-out unprofitable
enterprises• State consumer goods subsidies increase• Taxes decline with anti-alcohol campaign• Regions with autonomy withhold taxes• Production bottlenecks; shortages appear
The Final Blow…1991 August Coup• New Union Treaty Proposed– June: Boris Yeltsin wins as Russia SSR
President– Federation of independent republics
formed– CPSU would control markets and social life– Opposed by conservatives fearing break up– Gorbachev under house arrest– Coup begun by KBG
The Coup d'état
Army Tanks in Red Square Boris Yeltsin
Anti-Coup Yeltsin Supporters
Aftermath of the Failed CoupCPSU banned by Boris Yeltsin throughout Russia SSROne-by-one SSRs declare independenceEconomic union formed in a power playTreaty of Union 1922 evokedGorbachev removed from power90% of Ukrainians vote for separation 12/1/91
Commonwealth of Independent States Declared!!!
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Is Gone
12/8/91 Belavezha Accords signed by Russia, Ukraine, and BelorussiaGorbachev says unconstitutional12/12 Russia denounces 1922 Treaty12/17 CIS recognized by 28 European countries12/24 Russia declared UN successor to USSR for diplomatic purposes (power)
Summation of Events Principal elements of USSR
Hierarchy of soviets with Russia at topEthnic federalism (no such thing—one nation under Moscow)State socialismCommunist Party (CPSU) domination
Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost reforms produce radical reforms and unforeseen effects
Coalitions built to support reformsEconomic problems put USSR into stagnation
Openness leads to oppositionCPSU challenged and dividedSSRs and Bloc countries rebel openlyNationalist, orthodox Communists,
and populist forces attempt liberalization and revitalization of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev fails at compromise Conservative coup beaten by Yeltsin supporters
Post-Soviet Restructuring
The Yeltsin ShockSubsidies for consumer goods cutPrice controls abolishedYeltsin cronies given government property and assets as private enterprisesOligarchy, not democracy, merges
The New Russia 22% live below the poverty lineLife expectancy and birth rates declinedGNP halved since 1991 Prices of natural resources increased Investments and businesses soar Emigration out increased
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