Transcript Document
PPQ 67a. Why was Gorbachev NOT responsible for the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe? (6) 2I + 3E + 3EI + 3C = 6 • Gorbachev had many concerns about the USSR that needed to be addressed. He was willing to confront the problems in order to reform the ‘Soviet Communist’ system, but never purposely undermined or attempted to end it. • NOT BECAUSE OF GORBACHEV: • The USSR faced serious problems. • The Soviet economy was weak and ignored for too long - couldn’t compete with the West (computers and telecommunications). • American farmers could produce 7X more food than Soviet farmers (the USSR imported grain from the USA) • Too much money being spent on the arms race - a single bomber in the 1980s was the same as 200 during WWII, Soviets spent money on tanks instead of cars and TVs. • Costly and unwinnable war in Afghanistan – 15,000 dead and $8 billion a year • The working attitude of the Soviet people - welfare state (job and home) with NO INCENTIVE to work harder and standards slipped • Corruption ran too deeply for changes to happen - lack of loyalty by citizens - Dachas (luxurious country houses) • The days of fear under Stalin were gone and criticism common • Alcoholism was rampant and life expectancy low - both contributed to decline in Soviet industry PPQ 67b. Why was Gorbachev responsible for the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe? (6) 2I + 3E + 3EI + 3C = 6 • Gorbachev had many concerns about the USSR that needed to be addressed. He was willing to confront the problems in order to reform the ‘Soviet Communist’ system, but never purposely undermined or attempted to end it. • Glasnost – (political arm) and Perestroika (economic arm) – introduced Market Forces in 1987 (buy and sell for profit) Gorbachev proposed that the Soviet economy should be improved by“perestroika” – restructuring, including capitalist practices. There should be more “glasnost” – openness to restoring faith in government and end corruption. • Faced with President Ronald Reagan’s ‘policy of confrontation’, he engaged Reagan (worked with him), cut the arms budget and signed an agreement in 1987 with the USA to remove medium range nuclear missiles from Europe • Gorbachev proposed many changes that the hard-line communist found difficult to accept. He was unpopular because his economic reforms did not work as quickly as expected. • Promoted international trust and cooperation for the USSR, but planned to keep a socialist system. • His withdrawal of Red Army support for other communist countries resulted in one by one the communist governments coming to an end. • Announced the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in May 1988 - out by Feb. 1989 • In March 1989 he made it clear to the leaders of Eastern Europe that the Red Army would NO LONGER be used to keep them in power. The Brezhnev Doctrine was ended (at UN, Dec 1988). • His policies contributed to 1989 being the ‘Year of revolution’ in Eastern Europe.