Paper 1 Theme 1 - Topic 3: USSR structural weakness

Question 1

Economic stagnation

Answer 1

1970-1980
Annual economic growth is at 1%. USSR’s vast resources of oil, natural gas and coal were depleted by 1970s. It had to look for resources in countries like Siberia, which was more difficult given their cold condition.
Only 25-30% of its total land was cultivated

Question 2

Weakness of the command economy

Answer 2

Being centrally planned and having prices and wages fixed, there were no profit incentives. The economy was geared towards the military

Question 3

Alcoholism in USSR

Answer 3

Due to the oppression and general poor standard of living, many Soviets chose to numb themselves using alcohol. Between 1940 and 1980, people who consumed alcohol increased by 600%. The average Soviet family spent 25-50% of its monthly food budget on alcohol. This decreased productivity and the goods produced were sub-standard. Gorbachev thus controlled the consumption of alcohol by passing the “dry law”.

Question 4

Soviet agriculture

Answer 4

The collective farms were not effective. Grain productions remained the same from the 1960s to 1980s. The lack of profit incentives furthered the stagnation of grain production. With increased demands for food, the Soviet Union became the largest grain importer in the 1970s.

Question 5

Soviet military expenditure

Answer 5

The USSR spent 12-20% of its GDP on defence, double of what the US spent. From the late 1970w, this figure great at a rate of 3-5% annualy due to its involvement in Afghanistan and the development of the ss-20s in 1979.

Question 6

Unfavourable balance of trade for the USSR

Answer 6

USSR had to conduct unfavourable trade to sustain the Eastern European partnership. The USSR provided subsidies and foreign aid to its satellite and client states. The inclusion of Cuba, East Germany, Albania and Vietnam further strained the USSR’s economy.

Question 7

Corruption in the USSR

Answer 7

The high ranks of the communist party had luxurious houses, the best cars and their children enjoyed tremendous privilege while the common people were struggling to survive.

Question 8

Gerontocracy in the 1980s

Answer 8

Brezhnev died in Nob 1982, aged 76
Andropov died in Feb 1984, aged 70
Chernenko died in Mar 1985, aged 74
These leaders were hardly able to lead the country as they are ill. They also tended to be heavily suspicious of the west as well as they lived through the period of intense tensions. As they lived through WWII, they perceive security threat to be very real and would make that the centre of their policies. As the leaders kept dying, little to nothing could be done to implement any real policy to improve the USSR.

Question 9

Soviet nationalities issue

Answer 9

Many states in the USSR were forcefully incorporated, such as the Baltic Republics. They never accepted Soviet occupation. The CPSU was dominated by the Slavic people. The Central Asian Republics were subjected to religious persecution. “Russification”, which sought to neutralise the minority groups.
Thus, anti-Soviet nationalism hung in the air and there were loud demands for independence. However, they were mercilessly dealt with.