Gorbachev and the ending of the Cold War Flashcards
When does Gorbachev become the new leader of the USSR?
1985
What were the problems under Bezhnev?
- 1972 and 1975 crop failures meaning food shortages
- Spending of tremendous sums on military and space programmes in an attempt to close gap with USA
- low production of consumer goods
- Gorbachev inherited Economic crisis!!
When does Brezhnev die and what follows?
November 1982, creating a Gerontocracy as succeeded by Yuri Andropov and then Konstantin Chernenko, meaning nothing really progresses.
What were Gorbachev’s thoughts on the economic crisis he had inherited?
- Felt that if economic aims weren’t achieved then foreign policy problems would deepen and they would not be able to maintain their international position
- Felt this would be achieved not with a nuclear war with the West but by ending the cold war.
Things that had been undermining the Soviet economy
1) Alcoholism- part of soviet culture but lead to lower productivity, workplace injury etc
2) Lack of Foreign Investment
3) State controlled businesses
4) Inflation and worker discontent- led to unrest and strikes reducing productivity
What was Gorbachev’s first major reform?
Tackling Alcoholism by raising prices and restricting times and places for alcohol purchases, arrests for public drunkenness and for being intoxicated at work
What was Perestroika and why was it so key to economic reforms?
- planning was to be decentralised without loss of state ownership of factories and businesses- allowing management to implement economic changes without having to wait for approval from GOSPLAN (Soviet planning agency)
- ending of state price controls (being able to buy necessities at a lower price than normal due to government subsidies).
- reinforced ‘new thinking’ by opening USSR up to foreign investment.
-example of restructuring rather than dismantling economic system.
What was Glasnot?
- Translates as ‘openness’= re-examination of soviet history and debate on past government actions such as party purges and Chernobyl etc
- former enemies of the state were rehabilitated now that few Stalin supporters were still alive
What were both Glasnot and Perestroika a part of?
Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’ 1986
How was perestroika unsuccessful?
- general public saw a decreased standard of living while it only really benefitted small entrepreneurial class.
How did Glasnot undermine USSR leadership?
led to open criticism on government reforms a criticism of the collectivisation of agriculture
