nationalism Flashcards
1
Q
Liberal nationalism
A
All nations should be self governing, led to campaigns for the independence of republics from the USSR
2
Q
Chauvinistic nationalism
A
A specific nation as the right to rule or play a guiding role in the development of other countries (Empire view)
3
Q
Nationalism up to 1985
A
- by 1975, 50% of people in prison/repressive psychiatry were nationalists (large threat)
- ‘social contract’ under Brezhnev = areas of Central Asia were modernised in return for obedience. Increased educational investment in non-Russian republics, easier to get university places
- Brezhnev encouraged some forms of national self-expression, led to the emergence of the anti-Soviet nationalist movements
- Gorbachev genuinely belived that Soviet citizens had renounced their national identity and become a ‘united Soviet people’, false assumption in its stability
4
Q
Gorbachev’s reforms: cadre change and anti-corruption
A
- replaced existing leaders in non-Russian republics with Russians
- purges of republic governments, removed popular C. Asian leaders in 1986
- only 1 non-Russian in Gorbachev’s Politburo, led to resentment in republics e.g. a riot in Kazakhstan when the local leader was replaced in 1986
5
Q
Gorbachev’s reforms: acceleration
A
- living standards in republics declined due to the economic decline
- inequalities between privileged Russian leaders and people they ruled were obvious
- the economic reforms were associated with the new government, privileged leadership led to more nationalism
6
Q
Gorbachev’s reforms: glasnost
A
- more demand for increased autonomy and independence
- people could see Western living standards and Stalin’s oppression of non-Russians
- nationalist groups published material to demand for autonomy
7
Q
Sinatra Doctrine
A
- Gorbachev rejected the Brezhnev Doctrine in August 1989 and renounced the Union’s right to intervene in the affairs of other socialist countries
- argued that other countries would follow their own path to communism, and these countries were allowed greater freedoms
8
Q
Azerbaijan and Armenia
A
- 1988
- nationalist protests in Karabakh (Azerbaijan), Armenian nationalists wanted to unite with Armenia
- Azerbaijani counter campaign
- Gorbachev established direct rule of Karabakh but this led to new groups emerging and massacres
- Jan 1990, Azerbaijani nationalists massacred Armenians
9
Q
Uzbekistan
A
1989, Muslim minority of Meshkenians masscacred and the Soviet gov was unable to restore order. Loss of faith in the government
10
Q
Georgia
A
- Tbilisi massacre
- 9 April 1989, Georgian nationalists protested against the rights of the Abkhazian minority
- 19 Georgian nationalists killed by Soviet troops (against Sinatra Doctrine)
- nationalists turned against Soviets
- local military commanders refused to use force due to concerns about it (Tbilisi syndrome), the government took 0 responsibility for the violence
11
Q
Russia
A
- 60% of USSR population
- from 1988, the economic crisis led to more demand to put Russia first
- glasnost made industrial policies public, environmental moveement and concerns from Chernobyl led to people wanting to save the Russian landscape
- protect national monuments, protect Russian culture
- some movements were extreme: anti-Semitic and nationalistic
12
Q
Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia)
A
- 1988, ‘popular fronts’ movements to gain independence
- Nov 1988, Estonia declared itself sovereign
- March 1990, Lithuania declaration of independence after nationalist victories in the election of a new Lithuanian Supreme Soviet
- Gorbachev refused to accept this and imposed economic sanctions. Jan 1991, sent in troops and killed 14 people
- Yeltsin told Russian soldiers to refuse to obey orders that would oppress protests (e.g. Ukrainian miners protest against the murder of 14 people)
- created a Russian army
13
Q
Reforms to respond to growing nationalism
A
- ‘reformed union’ = republics had more independence
- 1990 = New Union Treaty
- March 1991 = referendum. 6 states refused to participate (incl. Baltics). For the rest, 76% were in favour of the NUT
- provisional agreement in April 1991: Independent states, 1 President (9+1 agreement)
- June 1991 = Russian president elected (Yeltsin 57%, while Communist candidate had only 16%)
- Mid July = complete draft of the NUT, Gorbachev announced it would be signed on Aug 21
14
Q
The coup
A
- NUT was unpopular
- Gorbachev was on holiday, hardliners wanted to overthrow him prior to the signing of the Treaty
- 18 Aug = 8 senior communists established the Emergency Committee to replace Gorbachev’s government (led by G’s deputy)
- 18 Aug = EC announced that Gorbachev resigned due to poor health, but Gorb refused to resign
- Yeltsin resisted the coup, army refused to obey the orders of the EC
- EC couldn’t continue w/o support of army, coup collapsed on 21 Aug
15
Q
Consequences of the coup
A
- coup weakened Gorb+Party, public lost faith
- Yeltsin’s authority increased, seen as the defender of democracy
- 23 Aug = Yeltsin suspended the Communist Party in Russia
- 6 Nov = banned the Party
- The NUT was destroyed, led to break-up of the USSR
- creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) by Yeltsin, Russia + Belarus + Ukraine, 11/15 joined on 21 Dec 1991 so the USSR effectively ceased to exist
- Gorbachev resigned on 25 Dec 1991 as he was President of nothing
- 31 Dec = Gorbachev declared that the USSR would formally cease to exist
