Gorbachev's influence Flashcards
Historian Peter Grieder main argument
“its failure can partly be attributed to indigenous factors. Its collapse, however, could only occur once the Soviet Union had withdrawn its support.”
The pivotal economic and political changes Gorbachev implemented brought about a substantial departure from…
“democratic centralism” and the previous norm – thereby destabilising the Socialist state
Since its inception, the GDR were heavily sustained by the Soviet Union – a fact made evident during the…
East German Uprising whereby Soviet occupation forces declared martial law and employed a significant military presence to suppress riots and defend the East German regime
What did the Sinatra Doctrine lead to?
This policy enabled a wave of democratization to surge through the Soviet Union – much to the chagrin of the East German administration
By permitting Hungary and Poland to liberalize, Gorbachev showed East Germans that…
emancipation from Moscow would be tolerated
How did the newfound prospect of reform in neighbouring states emboldened East Germans?
It emboldened East Germans to envision the potential for similar transformations within their own nation through active pursuit
What is an example of a civil rights movement in the GDR?
The New Forum
What was the New Forum?
A civil rights movement that advocated for the implementation of democratic principles through the adoption of free and fair elections
Historian Martin McCauley on the impact of Gorbachev and the policies he initiated
“Only the collapse of Soviet willpower to defend the GDR could undermine it” as “The state which has emerged in the GDR is the strongest in German history”
“Only the collapse of Soviet willpower to defend the GDR could undermine it” as “The state which has emerged in the GDR is the strongest in German history” – what does this suggest?
This implies that the collapse is not attributable to any inherent weakness in the state but rather to the fluctuating geopolitical landscape that was incited by the actions of Gorbachev
What were the consequences of Gorbachev publicly criticising the East German system and its leaders?
He undermined the legitimacy of the East German government and cleared the path for democratic reforms and eventual reunification
The Soviet leader undertook a visit to the GDR to mark its…
40th anniversary commemorations
What did Gorbachev assert at the 40th anniversary commemorations of the GDR?
“life punishes those who come too late”
Analyse the quote “life punishes those who come too late”
His prescient warning at the event amounted to an unequivocal rejection of the oppressive totalitarian system – the implication that “life controlled politics rather than the other way around” served to affirm the acute need for immediate action and transformation
What did Gorbachev discredit?
The East German propaganda surrounding the supposed principles of democracy in the “Workers and Peasants State”
What did Gorbachev facilitate an extreme shift in?
The power structure
Historian Arvid Nelson on the role of Gorbachev in the collapse of the East German state
“a combination of economic and ecological decline and increased popular awareness” condemned the state “to oblivion”
Nelson offers an alternative outlook that confronts the notion of a single causal factor for the collapse
He suggests the fall of the state was the consequence of a complex interplay of factors
Nelson highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the collapse and the complex factors that shaped it – he concludes that a more multifaceted approach is required
Critique Arvid Nelson
Whilst the failure of the state might have been influenced by a multitude of factors the sudden and unforeseeable collapse of the state can be primarily ascribed to the actions and policies of Mikhail Gorbachev
What per cent of young SED members supported Gorbachev?
90
What did the crowds call out in the 40th anniversary celebrations in the presence of the SED and Honecker?
“Gorby! Gorby!” and “Gorby! Help Us!”
Church, State and opposition groups from 1987-1989
The state became more repressive and opposition groups more organised. The GDR became more politically polarised and unstable
Peter Grieder “Protestant Revolution” quote
Many opposition groups in the country used the churches for their own purposes, while eschewing Christianity”
