“WE CAN’T GO ON LIVING LIKE THIS.”- MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

The Beginning of the end of the Soviet State

Introduction

Cold War created realities out of perceptionsRealities not always presentCold War became stagnant- status quo: you won’t

harm us, we won’t harm you1980s- material items procured by U.S. & USSR took

on new enormities: missiles, conventional armies, intelligence & propaganda

These powers lost influence to individuals in 1980s Margaret Thatcher Ronald Reagan Pope John Paul II Lech Walesa Mikhail Gorbachev Deng Xiaoping

These actors in the world stage were visionaries in who understood the disparity gap between Capitalism and Marxist-Leninism

Détente Set the Stage

Détente talks did not free the world from nuclear crisis, but cooperation limited their penchant for threats

Communication, openness, collaboration paved way for a new dialogue and new realities

If Cold War froze WWII, detente froze Cold War Survival was not assured, but destruction was primary

purpose of détente As technology diffused and learning increased, Marxist-

Leninist countries no longer able to hide authoritative measures

People/individuals recognized the power of ideas, words and actions

Difficult for authoritative powers to sell their limitations on thought and expression when other parts of the world seemed to prosper under open conditions

Signs of Discontent- Brezhnev’s Soviet Union

1970: East Germany invited Chancellor Brandt to Erfurt- Brandt is cheered from his balcony

1970: striking workers in Gdansk & Gydnia (high food prices) quelled by force- dozens of workers killed

Soviet response: increased consumer-good production and import goods from the West…and did not invoke Brezhnev Doctrine

1970s: USSR exported large sums of oil, falsifying its wealth; allowed USSR to increase military spending

Soviets increased oil prices to Eastern Europe damaging standard of living- oil profits stagnated Soviet production incentives, relied on oil exports

End of 1970s: Soviet GDP was one-sixth of America’sSoviets invaded Afghanistan to international

alienation

Problems of Brezhnev’s Soviet Union

Regime attacked political dissidents: sent to labor camps, imprisoned, sent to insane asylums

KGB encouraged/ordered to invade individual privacyLiterary academia and science intellectuals attacked,

threatenedEconomy: “period of stagnation”

Focused on quantity, not quality (outdated theory of productions)

Economy centralized in Moscow- did not allow for regional differences in pricing/production

Soviet Union did not deliver material well-being promised by Communism

Growing # of political and economic problems undermined the ‘superiority’ of the Communist state

Standard of living was depleted by early 1980s

The Individuals Come to the Forefront

Détente failed; big gov’t unable to move Cold War forwardBrezhnev’s leadership: ineffective, undermined Soviet

image Committed to defend human rights- Helsinki 1975- did not

provide own people w/ rights thoughAssumed U.S. struggles in Vietnam & Angola meant class-

struggle/Marxism took hold in 3rd world countryThey were convinced the 3rd world revolutions were

ideological based (they were nationalist movements & power corruption)

Involved themselves w/ Ethiopia to show solidarity w/ Castro, but gained nothing else from it

If gov’t couldn’t fix the ills of the Soviet state, maybe individuals would….

Deng Xiaping (China’s Leader- 1978-1994)

Agreed that Mao revived China to greatnessAgreed at Communist Party’s monopoly in Chinese politicsAgreed that détente w/ U.S. was means of countering

Soviet aimsDisagreed w/ Mao’s controlled, centralized economyOn market economy: “It doesn’t matter if the cat is white

or black, so long as it catches mice.”Deng proved that lives of Chinese could improve only

through open markets (capitalism)1978-1994- Per capita income tripled; GDP quadrupledSoviet economy actually declined in early 1980s- held firm

to outdated economic ideology

Margaret Thatcher, UK P.M. – 1979-1990

Challenged social welfare state in W. EuropeTargeted high taxes, nationalized industries & gov’t

intrusionThatcher encouraged privatization, deregulation and

entrepreneurship gained popular supportCaused a blow to Marxism- if Capitalism was an

exploiter of people why did so many cheer Thatcher’s reforms?

Did not adhere to détente- “We can argue about Soviet motives… but the fact is that the Russians have the weapons…It is simple prudence for the West to respond.”- Thatcher

Harsh rhetoric reminiscent of Churchill- didn’t mince words about Soviets- Thatcher called them ‘beasts’

Ronald Reagan

Ardent aggressor of U.S. aims against SovietsEncouraged and supported Thatcher rhetoric: “If

anyone can remind England of the greatness she knew…when alone and unafraid her people fought the Battle of Britain it will be the Prime Minister…”

Of détente Reagan said: “Isn’t that what a farmer has with his turkey- until Thanksgiving day?”

To Reagan- détente would only perpetuate the Cold War, not end it

Reagan had faith and love for Democratic capitalism: communism was a “…temporary aberration which will one day disappear from the earth because it is contrary to human nature.”

Lech Walesa

Witnessed the police shootings at Gdansk in 1970Attempted to organize another worker’s

movement- was fired in 1976August 14, 1980: another riotous crowd formed,

demanding higher wages Walesa took part in these demonstrations and

organized supporters for weeks afterWalesa finally had the support he needed- formed

the first trade union ever in Marxist-Leninist state

The Solidarity movement (Solidarnosc) was given support by Pope John Paul II

Soviet Back to the Wall

May 13, 1981- Pope was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca (a Turk w/ ties to Bulgarian intelligence)- Soviet Union not implicated in the assassination attempt, but…

Italian state prosecutor’s office determined: “In some secret place…some political figure of great power…mindful of the needs of the Eastern bloc, decided that it was necessary to kill [the] Pope.”

Moscow detested a power that threatened their own Feared the influence in Poland would diffuse to USSR Soviets pressed Polish authorities to respond, but lacked the punch to see

it through Soviet economy could not support invasion and occupancy if they were to

invade Russians believed Polish Army (well-trained) would not fire on their own

people Marked end of Brezhnev Doctrine & Marxist-Leninism no longer applied

to people outside of Soviet borders- Proletariats in Poland rejecting Soviet ideology

Brezhnev threatened intervention- Polish gov’t declared martial law

The Gorbachev Era (1985-1991)

1982-1985: two Soviet General Secretaries: Yuri Andropov & Konstantin Chernerko

Gorbachev understood the ‘pre-crisis’ that existedGorbachev feared social upheaval if ‘pre-crisis’ not

addressedPerestroika introduced by

Gorbachev(restructuring): Perestroika was a gamble (calculated): if society is opened

up in the slightest, may lead to deeper desire in society for change

Economic revitalization = a more tolerant, open political environment

Ultimately, communist state unable to limit the tide of internal failures and the changes set forth by Perestroika

Goals of Perestroika

Limit central control of economyExpand the # of workers who are promoted to managerial

positionsEncourage a limited degree of privatized entrepreneurial

consumer servicesMove towards private ownership of agricultural landsPursue joint ventures w/ foreign investors: improve

investment capital and technologyProblems:

Soviet society: inherently suspicious and fearful of change & the unknown

Critics: Conservatives questioned how a society could be ‘half-free,’ half-controlled

Critics: To encourage individualism would lead to anarchy, undermine communsim

Perestroika Leads to Glasnost

Glasnost: liberalization of repressive Soviet PoliticsOpenness was stark difference from controlled

limitations of speech & expressionGlasnost called for political leaders to respond to

public inquiries and criticismsGlasnost encouraged the secrecy that permeated

Soviet politics to open for better articulationSoviet press published criticisms of economic

slackness due to political corruption, drug abuse & alcoholism

Glasnost policies led to public discussions on poverty & homelessness- two things the Soviet state denied existed in the past

Effects of Glasnost & Perestroika

Both political and economic policies opened criticism of Soviet state

Realities of problems existed and came to the public in forms of discussion, debates and TV programs

Gorbachev did not seek to undermine Communism or Soviet Union Understood complexities of a changing world, more technologically

developed and integrated USSR falling far behind and unable to shield population from outside

realities New generation of Soviets reviled Stalin and harsh, centralized

authority he perpetuated New Soviet desired new ideas, new creativity, new freedoms w/in the

context of Communism Glasnost and Perestroika were the beginning of the end for Communist

Russia Gorbachev on Glasnost