Collapse Flashcards
Economy
Existing economic weakness due to command economy- failed to create incentives for hard work
Perestroika- failed- restructuring
Policies failing
Gosplan measured and rewarded production not quality
Nomenklatura- made decisions and set targets faked production numbers
Stagnation after B
Enough food produced not enough infrastructure to move it
Gorbachev’s policies
Reduce alcohol production- task force set up to stop illegal production
- citizens still drank some drank illegal alcohol so govt didn’t benefit, worsened economic problems
- campaign abandoned
Acceleration- end economic stagnation by investing in modernising economy
- failed due to drop in price of oil, financed by the west so debt rose and investment was in energy production which fell
Partial market reform-
law on individual economic activity Nov 86- legal to make money from small scale work-
law on state enterprise- devolve power from govt
Law on cooperatives- legal to set up large private companies
- failed as it was in the middle abolished in 90
500 day program- widespread privatisation and complete marketisation- Gorbachev backed down due to Communist hardliners as he wanted a slower pace Aug 90
Stabilising economy- cut subsidies so prices rise- dissatisfaction with party
Could have worked if decisions were firmer and he didn’t go back on them
Political
Very centralised govt, reforms and caused problems in the past
Glasnost- ‘openness’- need for govt to be honest and admit truth- initially used to criticise economy 1986
Hoped gorby would gain support
Instead republics demand independence- destabilised party role and criticised legitimacy of soviet system
Democratisation- allowed elections and other parties- hoped to gain support- people voted for Yeltsin 1989
Election result showed communists as weak and unpopular
March 1990- article 6 removed other parties allowed
Presidency
Gorbachev introduces elections but made himself president desperate from party and state
Appointed by congress of people’s deputies
Lack of democratic legitimacy
Nationalism
Continuous problems throughout each leaders rule
Cadre change- anti corruption- republics party leaders changed from local to Russian- resentment from Republics 1986
Acceleration- economic decline- dropping living standards- leaders being replaced at same time- economic decline associated with new Russian leaders 1986
Glasnost- exposes Stalin’s persecution of non Russian people- allowed people to see western living standards- allowed nationalists to publish material
Fall of communism in satellite states (Sinatra doctrine) 1989- republics want it too
Democratisation- allowed them to fight and win elections 1988
Republic elections 1990 weakened party
Coup
Union treaty- didn’t have support of hardliners
18 August 1991- communists established emergency committee to replace gorbachevs govt- to prevent break up of Soviet Union due to Union treaty
Gorbachev on holiday at time
Tried to force Gorbachev to resign
Led to weakened position for Gorbachev and strength for Yeltsin
Post coup
Gorbachev authority never recovered public lost faith in party and communism
Party, army and KGB discredited
July 1990- Yeltsin resigns from communist party
Forms a new party
June 1991 becomes president of Russia
Post coup communist party suspended
Party banned 6 November 1991
Soviet Union breaks up- republics declared independence and treaty destroyed
December 1991- dissolution of USSR
