THE END OF THE COLD WAR
In the final decades of the 20th, the Eastern bloc collapsed.
THE END OF THE COLD WAR
The end of the
cold war
Reform in the Soviet
Union
The collapse of the Eastern
Bloc The dissolution
of the USSR
THE END OF THE COLD WAR
THE END OF THE COLD WAR
The collapse of
Communism
The Russian Federation
The survival of
CommunismChina
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
After 1975, important developments occured
in the Eastern Bloc.
Repressive policies in Eastern Europe
USSR economic stagnation
Perestroika
Repressive policies in Eastern EuropeThere was increasing
popular discontent in Eastern
Europe.
This was caused by the
Soviet Union´s repressive
policies, which prevented
democratic reform.
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
USSR economic stagnationCauses:
The Soviet´s high military expenditure.Consequences:
This reduced investment in other areas and led to a fall in agricultural and industrial productivity.
There were shortages of food and consumer goods.
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
The Perestroika
In 1985, Gorbachev was
named Secretary General of
the Soviet Communist Party
and leader of the USSR.
He implemented a series of
political and economic reforms
known as perestroika.
The goal of the perestroika
was to end Soviet economic
stagnation.
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
Political Reform Economic Reform
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
PERESTROIKA: POLITICAL REFORM
The USSR evolved from a single-party system to one in
which other political parties were permitted.
The State also adopted a policy known as glasnost, which
aimed to make government more open and transparent.
As a part of glasnost,
limitations on freedom of
speech were also relaxed.
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
PERESTROIKA: ECONOMIC REFORM
In order to increase agricultural productivity, PRIVATE
OWNERSHIP OF LAND was allowed.
SPENDING CUTS were also introduced in an attempt to reduce
state expenditure.
However, these measures failed to improve the economic situation.
REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION
In 1987, United States President Reagan and Gorbachev had commited to withdraw Soviet troops from Eastern Europe.
THE COLLAPSE OF THE EASTERN BLOC
As a result, popular protest movements emerged in these countries.
They wanted to remove the Communist regimes from power.
In 1989, the Eastern European Communist regimes were in a very weak position.
The most important revolutions occured in:POLAND
In 1989 elections were
won by Solidarity. This
led to the formation of a
non-Communist
government.
THE COLLAPSE OF THE EASTERN BLOC
In 1989, the Eastern European Communist regimes were in a very weak position.
The most important revolutions occured in:BERLIN
In 1989 the people of
Berlin pulled down the
Berlin Wall. In 1990, the GDR (East Germany) was dissolved and Germany was reunified.
THE COLLAPSE OF THE EASTERN BLOC
The fall of the Berlin Wall. 1989, 11th November.
Independent movements had
emerged in the Soviet republics
after the introduction of perestroika.In 1991, a number of these
republics gained independence.Gorbachev resigned and the
Soviet Union was dissolved.As a result, the Cold War
ended.
THE DISSOLUTION OF THE USSR
REMEMBER: THE USSR MAP
THE CIS
The USSR was replaced by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which included the Russian Federation and a majority of the old Soviet republics.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)
In 1990, the Socialist republics that made up Yugoslavia demanded their independence.
The largest republic was Serbia, which wanted to maintain the unity of Yugoslavia and opposed to the independent movements.
THE DISSOLUTION OF YUGOSLAVIA
The independence movements were based in religious differences among the different republics of Yugoslavia.
THE DISSOLUTION OF YUGOSLAVIA
As a consequence of political and religious conflicts there was a Civil war (1991-1995).
As a result, Yugoslavia was divided into various states: Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro .
In 2006, Montenegro
became independent. In 2008, the region of
Kosovo declared its
independencde from Serbia.
THE DISSOLUTION OF YUGOSLAVIA
However, Serbia and Russia, and some European countries didn´t recognise Kosovo as an independent state.
The Russian Federation was created in 1991.First president: Boris YeltsinCapital: MoscowState: Federal State made up of republics and regions.Political system: a democracy
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
As president, Yeltsin abandoned the system of centrlised economic planning and introduced capitalism through a series of measures:
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
• Agricultural land and state-owned industries were privatised.
• Industries that used outdated technology were closed down.
• Public subsidies for housing, healthcare, electricity and other services were ended.
• Multinational companies were allowed to establish themselves and operate in Russia.
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Negative consequences of the introdution of capitalism
The closure of state-owned companies produced high unemployment, and this led to an economic crisis.
In 2000, Putin became president and the economy began to recover.
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Consequences of the introdution of capitalism
Russian society became more like other Western societies with peculiar features:
Social inequalities
A small minority have become very rich
because they bought state companies at very
low prices when they were privatised.
Most Russians are poorer due to the end
of state subsidies.
High unemployment
This has produced high levels of emigration to
Western Europe.
The Cold War ended in 1991 and the Communist regimes of the USSR and Eastern Bloc ceased to exist.
However:
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
Still Communist
StatesChina
Vietnam
LaosNorth Korea
Cuba
Still Communist States
Citizens do not enjoy
many freedoms
They have gradually introduced capitalist economic reforms to estimulate grouth
and development..
Communist states now
allow private property.
Foreign countries can
operate in these
countries
The exception is North Korea:
centrally planned
economy.
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
Mao Zedong´s successors have maintained the Communist Party in power in China.
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
A picture of the Communist Party on 24 january 2014
Xi Jinping is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and the Presiden of the People´s Republic of China (P.R.C.)
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
The Chinese regime has intensified its repression of protest movements which demand democratic reform.
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
China has resisted political reform but it has introduced capitalist economic reforms: Since 1980, foreign businesses have been allowed to operate in
certain areas of the country.
These companies have been benefited from cheap Chinese labour, while the arrival of foreign capital has enabled the Chinese to invest in their own industrial develpment.
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM
As a consequence of these changes, China has experienced dramatic economic growth .
Its products have flooded the markets of Western countries because they are much cheaper than European or American-made goods.
Today China is the second leading economic power .
THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNISM