Failure of political reform

Question 1

Problems with the CP

Answer 1

Gerontocracy
Nepotism
Centralisation
Corruption

Question 2

Glasnost

Answer 2

Glasnost: encourage public to put forward ideas for reform. Put popular pressure on conservatives to allow political reform
As in China and Hundred Flowers Campaign, flood of criticism
Couldn’t stop glasnost once started: undermine CP control

Question 3

Four key criticisms of CP made by the public during glasnost

Answer 3

Poor housing
Discontent over revelations of atrocities under Stalin
Reckless waste of Russian life in WW2
Environmental destruction, such as Aral Sea disaster

Question 4

Chernobyl Disaster, 1986

Answer 4

Radioactive leak caused human and environmental suffering. Nuclear plant poorly managed
Outdated and backward equipment
Poor record of health and safety
Covered up by CP – delay caused increased fatalities
Encouraged widening of glasnost and criticism of CP

Question 5

Impact of Glasnost

Answer 5

Result of glasnost was to politicise Russian public
By 1989 over 60,000 groups dedicated to discussing problems of CP
Instead of supporting Gorbachev, glasnost led to wave of demonstrations
Aimed at both the CP and even Gorbachev himself

Question 6

Gorbachev’s 4 Attempted Reforms

Answer 6

Decentralise power to local soviets
Clampdown on corruption
Separation of Party and State (State positions based on experience not role in CP)
Streamline the CP (merge departments for efficiency)

Question 7

Democratisation reforms

Answer 7

Discussion in Central Committee about secret ballots in 1987
Multiple candidates in local Soviet elections in 1987
19th Party Congress in 1988 announced adoption of multi-candidate elections for new Congress of People’s Deputies
First election successfully held in 1989

Question 8

Splitting the CP

Answer 8

Party split between ‘Liberals’ and ‘Conservatives

Factions formed: Yeltsin’s Inter-Regional Group and Conservative’s Soyuz

Question 9

Pluralism

Answer 9

Multi-party system – not just CP

Question 10

The Collapse of the Community Party

Answer 10

Gorbachev repealed Article 6 in March 1990, ended CP dictatorship
New election in 1990 led to widespread defeat of CP
60% of seats in Leningrad went to anti-Communist parties

Question 11

Essentialists

Answer 11

Western historians, ‘essentialists’, argue Communism impossible to reform
Incapable of becoming democratic, as essentially a ‘totalitarian’ system
Therefore, any attempt to reform Communism would inevitably lead to failure

Question 12

revisionist

Answer 12

‘revisionist’ historians begin to re-examine this interpretation
Believe Gorbachev’s reforms could have worked and the system might have been reformed
But argue other factors prevented success, such as division between Liberals/Conservatives