Gorbachev's Demokrazatsiya Flashcards
Multiple Parties
• Gorbachev’s attempt at democratization led to multiple political parties that were not communist aligned.
• These parties managed to defeat communist candidates.
○ The most prominent party was the Democratic Russian Election Bloc.
§ The DREB campaigned against one party rule and played a big role in amending the constitution to remove the CPSU from its sections.
Exectuvie Presidency- Intention
○ Intention: A strong presidency would push through reforms and keep the USSR stable.
Executive presidency - Powers
§ Veto Legislation (Supreme Soviet can override)
§ Appoint the Prime Minister
§ Dismiss the Government
§ Dissolve the Supreme Soviet
§ Get the Congress the elect a new Supreme Soviet
§ Can also declare a state of emergency
Executive Presidency - Legitimacy
Elected by Congress (Initially proposed by the people)
Extra Provisions with reason
○ A council of Federations made up of the heads of the republics.
§ Reason: to oversee inter-republican relations.
○ A Presidential Council
§ Reason: Oversee foreign policy
§ Was abolished and morphed into the Council of Federations.
○ Council of ministers became a cabinet.
§ Function: Responsible to the president, under the Prime Minister
○ Security council
§ Reason: Responsible for defense and internal security
§ Legitimacy: Appointed by the President
Reasons for CPSU membership dropping
§ Incomplete democratization
§ Lack of direction
New CPSU draft
○ Gorbachev drafted up new plans for the CPSU.
§ Communism was not mentioned.
§ Operated as a Social Democratic model.
§ Played a part in instigating a Reactionary Coup
Nationalism in the Republics
• Federal Republics wanted independence to leave the USSR’s economic crisis.
○ These republics were wrong as they were heavily subsidised.
§ Hence they suffered the most at the end of the USSR.
• Lithuanian Supreme Soviet votes for secession (March 1990)
○ Strong reactions:
§ Soviet troops were sent in.
• Russian Supreme Soviet votes for sovereignty
The New Union Treaty Overview
• The existing Union treaty for the 15 Republics were written by Stalin.
○ It has given prominence to the Russian Federation.
○ It was more centralized then Lenin had planned.
• Gorbachev wanted a new union treaty to give power to the SSR Republics.
The New Union Treaty laws
§ Minimum 2 year waiting period of secession applications.
§ Reasons:
□ Soviet Enterprises
□ Nuclear Weapons
○ The issue was further complicated with Ethnic groups wanting to secede within these republics.
§ Example:
□ Ossetians and Georgian race riots in Georgia.
Outcome of first draft of New union Treaty
○ Approved and published by the Supreme Soviet November 1990.
○ Drafting committee in January 1991 to make revisions.
○ Outcomes:
§ Lithuania suspended its declaration of independence until ratification.
§ Estonia and Latvia declared 1940 annexations illegal.
§ Moldova spearheaded by Moldovan Popular front showed growing nationalist unrest.
Republics refused to participate in drafting
§ Estonia § Latvia § Lithuania § Moldova § Georgia § Armenia
Aftermath of first draft refusal
□ They wanted more independence and autonomy.
○ A new draft was published by the Supreme Soviet in March 1990.
○ Gorbachev holds a referendum on the future of the USSR.
Yeltsin’s actions
• Yeltsin supported a free market economy.
• He formed non-communist parties to compete in the government.
• He was elected as the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation
• There was mass support for him as a Russian president.
○ He became President of the Russian Soviet Federalist Soviet Republic.
• Created a De-Facto dual power system in the country.
• Yeltsin’s actions of secession:
○ Russian Republic
○ Recognized Lithuanian independence.
Weakening of Gorbachev
- Gorbachev was accused of bringing back authoritarianism.
- Laws were passed that accused him of censorship.
- His policy of glasnost became under attack.
- His weakness lead to calls for him to resign.
- The republics began to follow local laws instead of Moscow.