Ch. 19 sec 3 The Collapse of the Soviet UnionI. Gorbachev Moves Toward Democracy

A. A Younger Leader1. The Politburo was the ruling committee of the Communist Party which

promoted censorship and restrictions on freedom of speech

2. After Brezhnev's death and the deaths of the next two leaders in successive years the Communist Party chose Mikhail Gorbachev to lead the country

3. Gorbachev was praised for his youth, energy & political skills but the Politburo had no idea that he would unleash another Russian Revolution

B. Glasnost Promotes Openness1. Gorbachev realized that economic and social reforms were

needed if Russia was to prosper

2. Glasnost (1985) reform brought remarkable changes: churches opened, dissidents were released & allowed publication of banned books

3. This was all done to end the stagnate economy and society that was developing

II. Reforming the Economy & PoliticsA. Economic Restructuring

1. 1st step that needed fixing was improve the inefficient system of central planning

2. Controlling wages & production created a lack of motivation thus creating a disinterested worker

3. In 1985 Gorbachev introduced the idea of perestroika which means economic restructuring

4. His goal was to add a little capitalism without throwing out communism and so he allowed small private businesses to open

B. Democratization Opens the Political System1. To improve the economy and loosen the grip of the

Communist Party, Gorbachev created a policy called Democratization

2. This policy opened up the election process allowing voters the option to vote for lesser known candidates

C. Foreign Policy1. Gorbachev stopped the Soviets competition with the U.S. in

arms race (U.S. spent 2 trillion) because he realized their economy could not keep up

2. In Dec. 1987 Regan and Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty banning nuclear missiles with ranges of 300-3,400 miles

III. The Soviet Union Faces TurmoilA. Lithuania Defies Gorbachev

1. Reforms loosened central control allowing for Soviet Republics that were non-Russian to vie for independence

2. Lithuania, Estonia, & Latvia split from the Soviets causing the Soviets to enact a economic blockade and then an attack by its military on Lithuanian citizens

B. Yeltsin Denounces Gorbachev1. Boris Yeltsin, a former mayor of Moscow, became the 1st

directly elected president replacing his rival Gorbachev

2. Yeltsin criticized the crackdown in Lithuania and the slow progress of reforms

3. Yeltsin was challenged by the old guard Communist officials who didn’t want to give up being the dominant Eastern European force

C. The August Coup1. Aug. 18,1991 hardliners of the Communist Party detained

Gorbachev and demanded his resignation

2. They sent tanks & armored vehicles into Moscow surrounding the Russian Parliament and Yeltsin himself

3. Yeltsin Climbed out a window and gave words of hope to all the citizens protesting the hardliner communists use of military force

4. Aug. 24th the soldiers listening to the people and the hardliner communist decide to refuse the order to attack

D. End of the Soviet Union1. As a result of the failed coup the Communist Party collapsed

which also led to the breakup of the Soviet Union

2. All 15 republics declared independence forcing Yeltsin to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)-a loose federation of former Soviet territories

3. Dec. 25th Gorbachev announced his resignation as president of the Soviet Union thus ended the Soviet Union

IV. Russia Under Boris YeltsinA. Yeltsin Faces Problems

1. One major goal to fix was Russia’s economy. It needed to go from a command to a more capitalist economy.

2. A plan called ‘Shock Therapy’ was implemented which was supposed to lower trade barriers, remove price controls and end subsidies by the govt.

3. Unfortunately it did not work very well and created inflation and put people out of work.

B. Chechnya Rebels1. In 1991, Chechnya declared its independence from Russia causing

a war as Russia wanted to keep it a part of their country.2. Yeltsin invaded the region leveling the capital city of Grozny. 3. With popular support waning, Yeltsin stepped down and gave

power to former KGB official Vladimir Putin.

V. Russia Under Vladimir PutinA. Economic, Political, and Social Problems

1. After assuming power, Putin had a major undertaking in fixing the economic woes of Russia.

2. It was estimated at the time that there were up to 30-50 thousand homeless children with mass amounts of unemployed citizens. The standard of living had dropped considerably since the end of communism.

3. Currently, Russia has now rebounded from its economic woes by restructuring its industries and creating new trading agreements with various countries around the world.