The end of the Cold War 1984-1995

Question 1

What were the weaknesses of the USSR system?

Answer 1

• planning objectives were unrealstic
• the quality of goods produced without competition between private firms were poor
• lack of motivation in the workforce due to poor living standards
• Alcoholism
• Absenteeism from work

Question 2

Describe the Brezhnev’s decline and style of living

Answer 2

• Enjoyed a distant leadership with a life of luxury
• Allowed the ‘conditions for the growth of a truly priviledged elite’
• 19 mil members of the comm party vs everyone else
• By the end of his life attempted to address the corruption within the comm party - put Andropov, head of the KGB, and put in anti-corruptrion campaign
• Brezhnev had died in Nov 1982
• Andropov replaced Brezhnev to restore party credibility as he lived in a 2 bed flat

Question 3

What were Andropov’s aims?

Answer 3

1. Tackle economic decline
2. Separatism
3. Human rights

Question 4

Describe the corruption in the communist party

Answer 4

• Comm party and nomenklature (bureaucrats) governed every aspect of life- enjoyed priviledges like private shops, limos and exclusive holiday shops

Question 5

What did Brezhnev do for arms?

Answer 5

• Offered a 25% reduction in strategic weapons and froze nuclear weapons- rejected but sympathised with peace movements in west
• Had hoped the west’s peace movement would scale down the arms race and block the deployment of cruise and Pershing II missiles in europe- but didn’t happen