GORBACHEV AND THE USSR

Glasnost and Perestroika
REFORMS INTRODUCED BY GORBACHEV
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE END OF THE
COLD WAR, THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM
IN EASTERN EUROPE, AND THE BREAK-UP OF
THE USSR
GLASNOST
Means to an end!
 The real problem with the Soviet Union was
economics.
 Gorbachev realized that the only way that the
people of the USSR would accept his plan for
economic change (perestroika) is if they could
see how bad things actually were.

In order to accomplish this he introduced
glasnost, which encouraged more “openness”
within the USSR.
 This included such things as:

 Freedom
of the press
 Releasing of political prisoners
 Free elections
RESULT
Soviet media, which in the past was heavily
censored by the government, began to openly
criticize the system.
 Highlighted severe problems such as;

 Poor housing
 Alcoholism
 Drug
abuse
 Pollution (ex. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster -1986)
 Corruption in government
1989 ELECTIONS
450 candidates were elected nationally who
were not endorsed by the communist party.
 One Politburo member, five Central Committee
members, and thirty five regional CPSU chiefs
lost re-election to non-endorsed candidates.
 Note: the communist party still had control with
1800 of the 2250 seats (80%).

BORIS YELTSIN
IMPACT ON EASTERN EUROPE
The combined effect of glasnost within the
USSR, and the unilateral/bilateral military cuts
that had occurred, gave these people the
impression that communism was DONE!
 Result was the collapse of communism in
Eastern Europe.

PERESTROIKA
Once people became aware of the dismal state
of the Soviet economy (glasnost) Gorbachev
could now deal with it by introducing
perestroika (restructuring).
 Included reforms such as;

 Increased
private in agriculture
 Increased private ownership in industry
 Emphasis on consumer goods instead of military
goods
QUESTION

Does perestroika remind you of a previous
economic reform that was introduced in the
USSR?
ANSWER

Lenin’s New Economic Policy
PROBLEM
These reforms did not result in immediate
improvement.
 Transition from centrally planned economy to
capitalism was not easy.
 Things actually got worse in the short term.

 Problems
included:
Unemployment increased
Food shortages got worse
Rate of alcoholism increased
Government programs were cut
Health care
education
RESULT

By 1990 Gorbachev was being criticized on two
fronts;
 Those
who felt that his reforms had not gone far
enough – they wanted more individual freedoms
and greater economic reform.
 Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Republic,
was a key figure on this side.
On the other side were the communist party
“hardliners”, mainly from the politburo, who felt
that he had gone to far.
 They wished to “turn back the clock”!
 This group was led by KGB Chairman Vladimir
Kryuchkov.

KRYUCHKOV
AUGUST COUP
Situation in the USSR reached a climax on
August 19,1991, when the disgruntled
hardliners, led by Kryuchkov attempted to
overthrow Gorbachev.
 Goal was to put things back the way they were.

BIG ISSUE!

Gorbachev is preparing to put in place an
agreement between the central government
and the governments of the republics that will
give the republics increased responsibilities
and freedoms – decentralization.
AUGUST COUP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCFREwQ84
6o&feature=related
COUP FAILS BECAUSE

Glasnost– ordinary citizens of Moscow take to
the streets to protest the events – do not want
to see a return to the “old ways’
Boris Yeltsin emerges as a leader opposed to
the coup – at one point crawling on top of a
tank.
 He is the President of the Russian Republic so
he is in Moscow at the time of the coup.


The military refuses to use force against the
1000’s of civilians who came out to protest
against the attempted coup.
END RESULT
Gorbachev and the communist party are dead.
They no longer have the support of the people
or the military.
 The new face of reform within the USSR is Boris
Yeltsin.
 Yeltsin continues the decentralization process
that will see the USSR split into 15
independent republics.

TIMELINE

Dec. 8th,1991 – three of the original four
signatures of the USSR (1922)meet and issue
a declaration that the USSR no longer exists.
 Belarus
 Russia
 Ukraine
 Transcaucasian*
Dec.25th, 1991 – Gorbachev resigns as
President of the USSR.
 Dec. 31st, 1991 – Soviet flag was lowered over
the Kremlin for the last time. USSR no longer
exists.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=torfjOKJNHI


Jan. 1st, 1992 – a new nation emerges – the
Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS).
 12
of the 15 republics are members.
 Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania choose outright
independence.
 Eventually the CIS breaks up as well.
 Today there are 15 independent nations were the
USSR used to be.
CIS
GORBACHEV, GLASNOST AND PERESTROIKA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=595W4JJHa
2U&feature=relmfu&safety_mode=true&persist
_safety_mode=1&safe=active