1 / 15

PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis

PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis The Fall of Communism: The USSR and Eastern Europe Area # 2 Gorbachev and His Aims/Policies (Glasnost and Perestroika and the Consequences for the Soviet State. Between Brezhnev and Gorbachev. Brezhnev dies Nov. 1982

noreen
Download Presentation

PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: • Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis • The Fall of Communism: The USSR and Eastern Europe • Area # 2 • Gorbachev and His Aims/Policies (Glasnost and Perestroika and the Consequences for the Soviet State

  2. Between Brezhnev and Gorbachev • Brezhnev dies Nov. 1982 • Yuri Andropov head of KGB is selected as new leader • Very Bright but has fatal kidney condition and is 69 years old • Tries to modernize and reform, brings in “young” leaders like Gorbachev • Seriously ill most of 1983-84 and dies in Feb 1984 • Konstantin Chernenko is the last gasp of the old guard • 72 has emphysema but is selected anyway • Dies March 1985 • Mikhail Gorbachev born 1931 age 54 • 1980 joins Politburo as youngest member • Andropov protégé • Flexible, open manner Fails as head of Soviet Agriculture but reputation unharmed (nobody can fix Soviet agriculture!!)

  3. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Gorbachev is a commited Communist • No intention of presiding over the demise of the USSR • Wants to reform and reinvigorate CPSU • Reform economy but retain state socialism • Key allies • N. Ryzhkov Prime Minister • Yegor Ligachev (Deputy/Assistant • E. Shevardnadze (Foreign Ministry) • A. Yakovlev (adviser) • Group makes Politburo much younger than Brezhnev’s • First Effort is ant-corruption campaign • Ousts half P-B and Cent. Com. Despite opposition of traditionalists • Half Provicial Party Secretaries also forced out and 2/3’s of gov’t ministers • Problem is low level officials still protect their privileges • Eventually attacked as too cautious by the Left(Reformers) and too radical by the right (traditionalists)

  4. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Campaign v. Alcoholism • Reduced production • Cracked down on home production and stills • Total Failure • Organized crime sells it anyway, stills continue • Lose 28 bi. Rubles in taxes (abandoned 1988) • GLASNOST • Openness • Goal is to reform not dismantle CPSU • Make state management open to debate • Expose and circumvent petty officials by political criticism • Unleashes radical reforms by mistake • Perestroika • Restructuring • Loose definition is Gorbachev’s reform • No clear plan: Left 1984-89, Right 1990, Left again 1991

  5. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Initial Reforms aimed at gov’t, quickly becomes relaxation in all areas • Art, writing, news, media • Chernobyl melt down key turning point • Encourage open debate to end obstruction of reforms by low level officials • Sakharov brought back 1986 • 1988 corruption, econ. problems, the Terror all open for debate (unheard of freedom) • Even investigate Stalin’s actions • Openness leads to civic society • Clubs, associations • Nationalist movements, Democratic ones • Recreational groups • Democratic Union independent political party formed • First challenge to Glasnost is Andreyeva Letter • She writes to newspaper defending parts of Stalinism and Marxism/Leninism • Ligachev supports it and Gorby fires him • Glasnost continues under Yakovlev

  6. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform • 19th Party Congress 1988 • Term limits and multi-candidate elections of officials (Still communists) • Democracy within CPSU not the country as a whole • Gorbachev decides to go around the CPSU and creates the Congress of Peoples Deputies Dec. 1988 • Circumvent the bureaucrats holding up reforms • 2250 Deputies elect 542 member Supreme Soviet • 1/3 must be appointed CPSU • Gen’l Secretary of CPSU assumed to Chair the Sup. Soviet • 1989 Election conservatives win but 400 reformers elected 90% vote • 1st CPD Session • Televised • Debate Stalin, economy, corruption, end of CPSU domination • Problem is it makes USSR more unstable as left and right both unhappy

  7. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • Gorbachev now faces attacks from the Left (not reforming fast enough) and the Right (going way too fast) • Also faces threats from charismatic newcomers • Boris Yeltsin is local Party anti-corruption boss and is brought in to run the Moscow Party organization • Populist who mingles with the people • Antagonizes Ligachev when he criticizes Party perks • Then publicly says Perestroika too slow • Publicly humiliated and fired Oct.1987 • Public apology at 19th Congress 1988 but is not reappointed • Re-emerges as Russian nationalist (Opportunist??) • Wins Moscow seat in 1989 CPD elections • In 1990 he is elected to the Russian Republic Congress (not the CPR of the USSR but the “state’ congress) • Chosen speaker of the Russian (not USSR Soviet) • 1991 elected President of the Russian Republic • He is therefore, unlike Gorbachev democratically elected

  8. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • The Union Question • The Soviet Union has little attraction to the nationalities making up 48% of the USSR • The Tsar had justified Empire by divine right, Communism had used coercion • Under Gorby the CPSU was now just another political Party looking for votes • Intense nationalism follows. Why? • Economy gets worse and worse so why remain in USSR • Gorbachev encourages openness and debate • 1989 independence movements occur in Pol., Czech., Hungary, E. Ger., Bulgaria and Romania • Leads to vocal autonomy movements throughout USSR even in the RSFSR

  9. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • The Union Question (con’t) • Baltic States • Popular fronts for independence spring up • 1988 Estonia says it can overrule USSR Laws • Nov. Estonia and Lithuania abandon Russian as their official language • March 1990 Lith. Annouces independence but backs down when Gorby announces economic blockade • Azerbaijan/Armenian violence breaks out 1988 • Georgia independence riots 1989 • 1 mi. person human chain in Baltics to demand independence Aug. 1989 • Russian Nationalism as well • 50% of total population • Resent supporting poorer republics • Elect Russian CPD in 1990 and claim RSFSR Law trumps USSR laws

  10. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform • Gorby reforms make economy worse and he seems to have no clear plan • Cautious and unsure with his reforms • Creates a new organization for Agricultural Plans Gosagroprom • Acoomplishes nothing • 1986 12th 5 Year Plan still focuses on machinery • Trade defifict explodes from 17 to 64 bi. rubles ($100 bi.) Why? • Costs of western tech. imports • Alcohol sales fall • Oil and gas prices fall mid 1980s • When further reforms fail Gorby introduces : “Regulated Market” (Law on State Enterprises) • Like NEP small free market businesses and co-ops • State industry can sell part of production on free market

  11. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • Law on Cooperatives 1988 • Can set their own prices and sell overseas • 13,000 1988 to 245,000 in 1991 • Problem is they have to bribe state officials • State officials steal state assets and sell them • Organized Crime expands • They compete with state enterprises reducing state income • Inflation • Price controls loosened • Print money • Law on state Enterprises lets workers elect managers who tend to raise wages • Meat and sugar rationed • 40% of hard currency spent on grain imports (can’t buy high tech.) • 1990 GDP down 9%

  12. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • FOLLOWING IS NOT ON EXAM: INFO. PURPOSES ONLY • Mar.1990 3rd CPD ends CPSU control • Multi-Party Elections • President (Elected) Replaces Politburo • Gorbachev moves Radical Left • 500 Days Program (Early 1990) • Proposes free enterprise, private property and free market • Now shifts to right • Appoints hard liner Bris Pugo • Sends special forces to crack down on Baltics • Massive riots and Gorby shifts to center

  13. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • FOLLOWING IS NOT ON EXAM: INFO. PURPOSES ONLY • Gorby now proposes Union treaty granting local autonomy • Hardliners Kryuchov (KGB), Pugo (Interior), Yazov (Defense) try to pressure Gorby to cancel Union Treaty • Arrest him when he refuses • Yeltsin stands on a tank outside the Russion “White House” soldiers won’t fire on civilian protestors rallied by Yeltsin • Coup collapses Gorby comes back but Yeltsin is real power • Humiliates Gorby and dismantles the USSR

  14. Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy • Foreign Policy • 1985 Gorbachev seeks better relations with the West • Wants to cut defense spending to increase domestic spending • Lack technology to match SDI • Wants to defuse Second Cold War • Wants to leave Afghanistan • Reasonable Defense Sufficiency • Use conventional weapons for defense and cut Nuclear arsenal • More flexible than past leaders, makes concessions • Gets along with Reagan and Thatcher • Reagan recognizes USSR is genuinely fearful • New Reagan advisors (Weinberger replaced by Carlucci, Schultz, Powell willing to deal • Gorby tells Eastern Europe leaders he will not intervene militarrily • Free to go their own way • Not much choice as USSR econ. in collapse

  15. Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy • Foreign Policy • Successes • Geneva Summit Nov. 1985 Reagan and Gorbachev reach working relationship • Reykjavik Summit 1986 almost agree to eliminate nuclear weapons but Reagan won’t give up SDI • Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty USSR gives up SS20s and US Pershings and cruise missiles • Gorby agrees to on site inspections and doesn’t demand Fr/Br. scrap their nukes • Withdraws from Afghanistan Apr. 1998 • Reduces Red Army 10% 1988 • Conventional Forces Europe Treaty 195,000 US and 195,000 USSR troops in Europe • START I 1600 ICBM Limit cut to 6000 total warheads • START II Bans MIRVs but both sides withdraw in 2002

More Related