Brezhnev 1965-82 Flashcards
Kosygins economic reforms:
Power to managers to set targets and achieve them, less plan indicators for agriculture, more incentives (encouraging innovation)
1965
Kosygins economic reforms agreed
Reasons for failures of kosygin’s reforms
Inherent conservatism and competition between them and enterprising managers, outdated technology, heavy reliance on large workforce, bonuses still linked to quantity, military resistance (more consumer goods)
1966
Sinyavsky and Daniel arrested
Sinyavsky and Daniel?
Dissidents - antisoviet satirical writers. Samizdat. Widespread backlash.
1968
- Prague Spring (Czechoslovakia)
- Brezhnev doctrine
Key points Prague spring
Dubcek comes to power, reforms: freedom of the press, trade unions, travel abroad DUE TO tight economic control and censorship. Hard line communist government introduced following uprising
Brezhnev doctrine:
Warsaw Pact forces will intervene in any country where communism is threatened (ie. equivalent of Truman doctrine)
Changes to party under Brezhnev
CC grew to 470 by 1982, leadership average age increased, massively conservative
Stability of the cadres
Privileges ie. shops, medical facilities, dachas
Nomenklatura
Essential for promotion, main reason for joining the party
Key economic policies
Recentralisation and return to 5YPS. Gradual stagnation due to little incentives, corruption. Consequent black economy
Black economy
Worth 7bn roubles pa, 25% GNP
factors covering stagnation of the economy:
Escalation of world oil prices 1970’s
Improvements in living conditions:
Minimum wage, social benefits (pensions, child benefits, maternity leave, free health care), illiteracy eliminated by 1982, consumption of meat/fish/veg rose by 50%
Living conditions worsened?
Still low quality compared to west, alcoholism/divorce high, black economy
1972
SALT I - anti ballistic missile treaty
1975
Helsinki accords
Helsinki accords:
1975, 35 countries, human rights, USSR selling oil to west, acknowledging USSR’s control in East Europe
1977
Brezhnev constitution
Key points Brezhnev constitution
Republics can secede union, party more important, policy of detente abroad
1979
Invasion of Afghanistan
Consequences of Afghanistan
International condemnation, economic pressures, boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics
Dissidence: key people
Solzhenitsyn, Sakharov, Daniel and Sinyavsky, religion, Baltic states (constitution), satellite states
