The Collapse Of The Soviet Union (Gorbachev Era) Flashcards
Gorbachev’s Personality
-Gorbachev was a young, bright, energetic and flexible leader who gained power at 54.
-He had a much more open manner than earlier Soviet leaders
-Comfortable with modern media such as TV.
-Realised how seriously the Party and the economy stood in need of reform.
Gorbachev Political Reform (1988-89)
-1988 saw Gorbachev decisively accelerate the pace of political reform in the USSR.
-The 19th Conference of the Communist Party in June 1988 approved changes to the way party officials were appointed - posts were to be for fixed terms and were opened to multi-candidate election.
-However, this move to democratize politics within the Party, still left the Communist Party with a monopoly of political power.
Meaning and Purpose of Glasnost
Glasnost is a Russian term meaning “openness” or “transparency.” It was introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985 as part of his broader effort to reform the Soviet Union.
The primary purpose of Glasnost was to increase freedom of speech and information within the Soviet Union. This included allowing public criticism of the government and exposing the country’s economic and social problems.
Chernobyl Disaster 1986 and its impact on Glasnost
-Exposed the Soviet government’s inability to handle crises transparently. Initially, they attempted to cover up the accident, but international pressure forced them to admit the truth, undermining trust in the Soviet system.
-The mishandling of information about Chernobyl contradicted the principles of Glasnost, which aimed for openness and transparency. This inconsistency eroded public trust in the government’s ability to implement reforms
-Political Consequences: The disaster fueled nationalist movements and protests, particularly in Ukraine and Belarus, where the contamination was most severe.
Key features of Glasnost
• Media Freedom: Glasnost led to a significant increase in media freedom. Newspapers and magazines began to publish articles criticizing government policies and revealing previously hidden truths about Soviet society, such as corruption and environmental disasters.
• Public Debate: It encouraged public debate and discussion on political and social issues. This was a stark contrast to the previous era of strict censorship and repression under leaders like Leonid Brezhnev.
• Revelation of Past Abuses: Glasnost allowed for the exposure of past abuses, including Stalin’s purges and other repressive policies. This helped to undermine the legitimacy of the Soviet system and contributed to a growing disillusionment among the population.
Impact of Glasnost
• Increased Dissent: By allowing more freedom of expression, Glasnost encouraged political activism and dissent. This led to a rise in nationalist movements within the Soviet republics, which eventually contributed to the breakup of the Soviet Union.
• Loss of Control: The Soviet government gradually lost control over the narrative and public opinion. As people became more aware of the system’s failures, faith in communism began to erode.
Meaning and Purpose of Perestroika
-Means “restructuring” in Russian. It was Gorbachev’s attempt to reform the Soviet economy, which had become stagnant and inefficient.
-The purpose was to introduce elements of a market economy, such as private ownership and competition, to make the Soviet economy more dynamic and productive.
Key features of Perestroika
Economic reconstruction: aimed to reform the Soviet Union’s centrally planned economy, which was struggling with stagnation and inefficiency. This meant the decentralization of economic management.
Modernization: an attempt to modernize and rebuild the Soviet state. Gorbachev realized that to modernize the Soviet Union, military spending had to be reduced, which meant ending the arms race with the USA
Increased autonomy or businesses: The Law on State Enterprise, passed in 1987, stipulated that state enterprises were free to determine output levels based on demand from consumers, giving them more autonomy from state control, allowing them to make decisions based on market demand rather than state direction.
Profitability: Gorbachev introduced the concept of “khozraschet,” as a standard for Soviet enterprises which is a shift from the previous focus on fulfilling quotas regardless of cost or demand, incentivizing efficiency and quality. Under the law on state enterprises, these became self-financing, responsible for covering expenses through revenues.
New Parliament
In 1988, the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies was created, with similar congresses established in each Soviet Republic, offering voters a choice of candidates, including non-communist parties.
