The Collapse of

Communism
in Europe

Some points to note

The Soviet Union from 1953 to 1985
Problems faced by Mikhail Gorbachev
Glasnost and Perestroika
Reasons for Gorbachevs failure
The end of the Soviet empire

The Soviet Union from 1953 to 1985

Leadership after
Joseph Stalin:
Nikita Khrushchev
Leonid Brehznev
Yuri Andropov
Konstantin Chernenko
Mikhail Gorbachev

Joseph Stalins Legacy

Soviet Union was modernised
Agriculture and industry in line with the
western powers
Great cost: 20 million dead
Few consumer goods

Nikita Khrushchev
Relaxed the tight control of the
government over the people
Tried to introduce reforms to improve
food production but failed
Tried to give people more say in how
agriculture and industry should be run

Nikita Khrushchev
Efforts came to naught as his reforms
were not supported by Communist
Party members
Sacked and replaced by Leonid
Brehznev in 1964

Leonid Brehznev
Hard-line communist who reversed
Khrushchevs reforms
His efforts also came to naught
An interesting blame tactic

Brehznevs Blame Tactic

lack of skilled labour, alcoholism,
absenteeism, and lack of effort on the
part of civil servants who man the vast
organization which tries to plan the
economy
- What is Brehznev trying to say?

Yuri Andropov
Head of the KGB
Effectively ran the country while
Brehznev was ill
Became leader in 1982
Died in 1984 after falling ill

Konstantin Chernenko
Succeeded Yuri
Andropov in 1984
Died in 1985 after
falling ill

The Situation for Gorbachev

Became the leader
of a state that had
seen little effective
government in
almost a decade
Russia was
seriously

The Situation for Gorbachev

The Problems facing Gorby:
The Soviet system of government
The lack of consumer goods
The burden of Eastern Europe
Black Market
Failure of Khrushchevs agricultural reforms
Mismanaged finances

The Situation for Gorbachev

The Soviet system of government
Belief in equality and fairness
Loss of faith by the people
Corruption in the government
Double standards

The Situation for Gorbachev

The lack of consumer goods
Comparison with the West
Lack of western-style consumer goods
Demand for western-style consumer goods
Cost of consumer goods

The Situation for Gorbachev

The burden of Eastern Europe
Head of the Warsaw Pact
Duty towards the Eastern European Communist
nations
Drained USSRs finances
Lost confidence of the Russian people

The Situation for Gorbachev

Black Market
High price of consumer goods
In 1985, the black markets value was estimated
to be at 7 billion roubles
This meant that the Soviet government was
losing 7 billion roubles in revenue

The Situation for Gorbachev

Failure of Khrushchevs agricultural reforms
Khrushchev introduced new systems to grow
more grain
However, transport infrastructure was not up to
mark and many crops rotted before they could
arrive in cities
Russia had to import grain to feed its people

The Situation for Gorbachev

Mismanaged finances
Not wealthy enough to play superpower
Spent too much money competing with the USA
Arms race, space race
Support to Cuba, Eastern Europe
Afghanistan War
Goods were not up to mark for export

Gorbachevs Slogans
Perestroika
Changing the economy of the Soviet Union

Glasnost
Having more openness in the Soviet economy

Gorbachevs Slogans
Perestroika
End command economy and replace it with
demand economy
End state monopolies and introduce competition
1987 measures introduced to allow market
forces to become part of the states economic
policies

Gorbachevs Slogans
Perestroika
End state monopolies and subsidized prices
Reduction on arms spending
Disarmament treaty in 1987 with the USA
In 1988, EE communist governments were responsible for
their own policies
Cut Red Army help to the EE countries

Gorbachevs Slogans
Glasnost
More openness to allow people to have faith in
the government
End corruption
Inform Soviets about decisions made by the
government
Free elections held in 1990 for the first time

Gorbachevs Slogans
Glasnost
Dissidents (people who criticize the government) were not
persecuted
The KGBs powers were restricted and eventually abolished
The Lubyanka prison was closed
Western ideas and music were allowed
1st McDonalds opened in Russia
Restrictions lifted on the Russian Orthodox Church