Gorby

Question 1

Economic challenges when gorby comes in

Answer 1

Has to address systemic economic problem
By mid 1980s 25% of GDP was spent on the military (US its 4-6%)
Command economy slowing industrial output declined to 2%
Cost of military ventures, afghanistan, africa (angola), subsides economies of vietnam and, cuba
Focus on heavy industry. Rate of growth in consumer goods at 0%, fall in quality of healthcare, low morale among workers, not very productive, acute problems in alcohol
Poor harvest & Droughts - agricultural output fell. 3% farmed as private plots - but these produced 405 meat, dairy goods & vegetables
embargoes after afghan invasion
USSR behind west technology; failed to integrate technical advances from space & military research into civilian economy. by 1980s they are behind the US fundamentally, computers / no new ideas in technology,
Satellite states become economic burdens
He has to reduce arm spending and competition with regan
All around shortages & efficiences

Question 2

Glasnost

Answer 2

believes problems can be solved with honesty
People encouraged to voice opinions about official short comings
Gorbachev believes that problems of the soviet union can only be solved if problems are acknowledged
Much opposition is produced in the politburo
Opened up the possibility of freedom of expression

Question 3

Effects of Chernobyl Disaster (26th April 1986)

Answer 3

Issue for glasnost
Huge data coming in from across Europe on radioactive activity due to the spread of radiation (go all the way to Scotland)
This could not be hidden by Gorbachev or party elite due to the impact across Europe
TURNING POINT – as glasnost is put into practice
Dynamics within the press change as they interview local party bosses in Ukraine (who are issuing iodine for nuclear sickness to their own people)
Reasons why this is cataclysmic for Gorbachev’s government
Glasnost is put into practice
Cost a lot of money to clear this up – economy was already declining

Question 4

How successful was economic Perestroika? phase 1

Answer 4

Phase 1: Accelerated growth (1985-87)
Setting high targets for the twelfth five year plans
Managers and local bosses must demand more discipline from workers (want transparency) – increase productivity
Wants managers and local bosses to look for inefficiencies in their local sectors – increase efficiency
Feedback:
There are insufficient resources to increase targets
People resented being told to just work harder – many ignored demands
Lying about targets being met due to the lack of supplies in factories to be productive

Law on Individual Labour Activity – allowed some private enterprise in the service sector: Ineffective due to bureaucratic obstruction (nomenklatura)

Closed down distilleries making vodka: Made Gorbachev very unpopular and lost a significant proportion of government revenue.

Renewed campaign on corruption: Key figures are prosecuted, and even more resentment towards Gorbachev

Overall results of this stage:
Economic growth declined (not helped by the fall in gas and oil prices)
No reconstructing of economy (there were continued shortages which creates popular dissatisfaction)

Question 5

Perestoika phase 2

Answer 5

Phase 2: Radical Reform (1987-89)
Gorbachev wanted more popular participation (decentralisation) and more accountability. This meant:
Decentralising decision making process, so Party count not interfere so much in economy
Transferring entire Gosplan sectors from Moscow to the different fifteen republics (have different basic economic resources, focus in terms of industry/agriculture/oil, natural resources)

Changes that were implemented:
A Law on State Enterprises
Gorbachev thinks a lot of leaders are corrupt
Wants workers to elect their managers based on their personal opinion
Bring in more incentives to increase productivity (fairer wages)
A new law on co-operatives
Legalised private enterprises

Overall results of this stage:
These reforms were not successful by 1988, as cities are facing acute food shortages and going into 1990 it looks like there could be famine
None of these reforms have improved any of the fundamental economic sectors of the Soviet Union – everything slowing down

Question 6

Perestoika phase 3

Answer 6

Phase 3: Developing Chaos (1989)
Gorbachev’s team analyse the failures of past phases and identify that he issue is nomenklatura – don’t want to bring in new market ideas, incentives etc into the command system
In the economy, there is total chaos as Gorbachev has permitted trade unions
Causes widespread strikes which further weakened the economy (miners stink in summer 1989)
Trade unions are organising themselves to avoid labour
Economic reforms were seriously affected by political changes taking place

Question 7

Perestoika phase 4

Answer 7

Phase 4: Move to a Market-Based Economy (1990-91)
Now crisis in economy – Gorabchev’s team saying they must make a leap of faith and go for a full shift to a market-based economy to avoid a catastrophe
Looks like the government is turning to capitalism – means there must be a coup
Shatalin Plan – carry out a transformation of the economy to market-based in 500 days
Further divides even Gorbachev’s team:
Reformers are saying that isn’t fast enough
Conservatives are saying its too extreme
Gorbachev is seen throughout the Soviet Union to be destroying the economy and political landscape
Russian Supreme Soviet implemented law permitting private property ownership (always seen as theft) = this has ended the idea of a planned economy (Jan 1991)
Soviet Union has collapsed (Dec 1991)

Question 8

What were the issues with Perestroika?

Answer 8

Reforms not thought through, the people that made reforms were not economists (like Gorbachev)

Administrative reorganisation created confusion – laws that fractured the economy created total confusion
By 1990, old and new enterprises are competing and don’t understand the new laws – as old command economy practices just continue
Enterprises still lied about meeting targets – this prevented Gorbachev knowing exactly yacht was happening in the economy as the data coming into the central government did not make sense
Issues with inflation

A lot of data showing that officials are actively sabotaging any changes

BIG PROBLEM – economic reform happening at the same time as political reforms causing immense instability (cannot do both at the same time)

no capitalist infrastructure (banks etc.).

Question 9

What was the result of political Perestroika?

Answer 9

Gorbachev set up first mulit-andidate elections since 1917 for new Congress of People’s Deputies meet in 1989 (first time opening up politics since 1917)

Despite democratic appearance, 33% of seas still reserved Congress for members nominated by Communist organisers (going to be appointed by the party)
Opened up a way to out vote the communist party
Factions developed within the congress
Key group was Soyuz - wanted to stop any further reform
Inter-regional groups wanted to reform faster
Proceedings and debates were televised for the first time

The CPSU began to have less of a hold in politics
Reforms led to growing demands for more independence and clashes between factions
In Feb 1990 another round of constitutional reform
These led to the creation of a new post - the president of the USSR who would be voted in and serve for 5 years. They would have special powers to deal with the factions.

Question 10

Rapid collapse of communism:

Answer 10

By 1989 snowball effect
Economic problems - by 1990 widespread strikes and shortages
Political discontent
Peaceful actions of ordinary people in 1989
Gorbachev’s actions remain key for allowing this collapse of communism and for ensuring there is no bloodshed

JLG - Gorbachev ensured that the great 1989 revolution was the first with no massive bloodshed
Nobody in the west foresaw the speed of this collapse
Gorbachev can not stop nationalism spreading after perestroika II

Question 10

Impact of Gorbachev’s reforms on satellite states:

Answer 10

Policies of perestroika and glasnost puts pressure on leaders to follow
Gorbachev made it clear that he was no longer prepared to send Soviet troops to support satellite regimes - the Sinatra
Also - universal human rights should exist in both capitalist and social blocks
Also - announced reduction of half a million red army troops
Military, KGB and hardline communists are gonna be upset

Question 11

UN 1988

Answer 11

sinatra doctrine, huge breach of brezhnev doctrine

Question 12

Gorbachev aims:

Answer 12

Improve economic state of USSR
Standard of living, efficiency etc.
Wants to bring the communist party back to the people

Question 13

Events of 1991 - end of CPSU, the USSR & GORBACHEVS TERM:

Answer 13

June: Yeltsin wins election for Russian Republic
August 1991: communist coup against Gorbachev by the KGB, Military & Hardline communists. Gorbachev is under house arrest. The US are scared because a coup can cause a civil war or a re-escelation in conflict.
Yeltsin to the white house - stood on tank - gave speech about how the communist hardline government is illegal and calls for gorbachev back & troops defected
Hardline communist coup discredited communist party - handed political initiative toYeltsin as the defender of democracy
23 August: Russian parliament outlaws communist party in Russia. 6 days later the CPSU was dissolved.
November 1991 - Yeltsin banned any communist activity on Russian soil
8th December: Yeltsin met Ukraine and Belarus leaders and announced that the USSR no longer exists - replaced by the commonwealth of independent states
17th December: Gorbachev was called in to dissolve the USSR as an entity
24th December: CIS took the UN seat - international recognition of what Yeltsin done
25th December: Gorbachev resigns
26th December: Government voted for the official end of the soviet union
1991 25th december official end of cold war