Gorbachev To Blame?

Question 1

Lack of vision

Answer 1

On becoming General Secretary, implemented a series of uncoordinated policies to address issue of productivity and the slowdown in economic growth.

Question 2

Naivety

Answer 2

Making naive assumptions about impact of policies. E.g. level of resistance from within Party to his economic reforms more than expected. Glasnost- did not consider the possibility that it would open the floodgates for attacks on Party and him

Question 3

Powerbase

Answer 3

His measures to reduce the power and role of Comm Party left him exposed. Attacking base of his power.
Position of president poor substitute especially as refused to put the post to a popular election 1990, a time where he probs would have won.

Question 4

Expectations

Answer 4

Reforms raised people’s expectations materially and politically but failed to satisfy them

Question 5

Foreign policy

Answer 5

The decision to end Brez Doctrine based on naive assumption that this would allow the Comm states to reform. Did not anticipate rapid collapse nor impact on nationalist groups

Question 6

Insensitive handling of national minorities

Answer 6

E.g. decision to replace Kunayev with an ethnic Russian in Kazakhstan 1986.
Handling of ethnic clashes Nagorno-Karabakh hesitant and when Soviet govt imposed direct control from Moscow Nov 1988, tensions worse.
Lack of clear strategy in response to nationalist declarations in Baltic States led to confusion and death in Vilnius Jan 1991

Question 7

Inconsistency

Answer 7

Mixed msgs in speeches- praised Stalin as leader and alienated liberals.
Dec 1990 removed reformer Bakatin and replaced with hardliner.

Question 8

What effect did Gorbachev’s inconsistency have on reformers?

Answer 8

Made it impossible for him to work with Yeltsin

Question 9

What effect did Gorbachev’s inconsistency have on the conservative side?

Answer 9

A factor in persuading the plotters of Aug Coup 1991 that they needed to take action

Question 10

Indecision

Answer 10

Hesitant at key moments and postponed crucial decisions like Chernobyl, hesitated for several days before releasing info
Poor choices in personnel that did little to strengthen his position e.g. May 1990 when Yeltsin stood as Chairman of the Congress of People’s Deputies, supported a dull choice

Question 11

In defence: What were the problems with the reforms?

Answer 11

Each policy had merits but impact of all 3 at same time too much for state. The policies intrinsically linked- economic reform could not progress without political reform and this required a reduction of power of Comm Party. Political reforms reduced hold of central govt over republics

Question 12

In defence: Gorb’s skills as a leader

Answer 12

Intelligent and personal charm. This kept broad support for his programme of reforms.

Question 13

In defence: force

Answer 13

Avoided it despite pressures by Baltic Republics 1990. Serious risk of S.U descending into a viscious civil war if he hadn’t avoided

Question 14

In defence: International factors

Answer 14

Afghan war
Fall of world oil prices- economic reforms being carried out in an unfavourable situation.
Star Wars in US pressure to divert consumer resources and social welfare spending
Gorb didn’t ignore this- foreign policy brought end to Cold War

Question 15

In defence: what happened in Armenia 1988

Answer 15

Major earthquake killing 25,000