Transcript PPQs 67 and 71

PPQ 71. What was glasnost? (4)
• It was a policy introduced by Gorbachev when he became Soviet
leader in 1985.
• It means openness.
• Because the USSR faced many problems, Gorbachev wanted to
openly discuss ways to improve the Soviet system.
• He wanted to talk about the true history of Soviet control and
atrocities committed by the government, since Stalin.
• He hoped this approach would lead to an open debate of how to
improve Soviet communism.
• It included more democracy and freedom of the press.
• FYI - PERESTROIKA: debating the effectiveness of government
policies, namely the restructuring and reforming of the Soviet
economy
• It included introducing a free market in which goods that people
wanted (consumer goods) were produced at affordable prices,
instead of government pricing.
• It emphasized the need to have a less centralized economy like the
west.
• Glasnost may have actually undermined Perestroika because the best
qualified people to make the economy work (communists) were removed by
free elections.
PPQ 67. Gorbachev was responsible for the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern
Europe. How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. (10)
2I + 4EA + 4EIA + 4EF + 4EIF + 3C = 10
To some extent. Students MUST gauge HOW FAR.
• 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.
PPQ 67. Gorbachev was responsible for the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe. How far do you agree with this statement?
Explain your answer. (10)
2I + 4EA + 4EIA + 4EF + 4EIF + 3C = 10
To some extent. Students MUST gauge HOW FAR.
• 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
• BECAUSE OF GORBACHEV:
• 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.
• HOW FAR. DON’T FORGET.