Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.
-
Upload
rosamund-mcbride -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
1
Transcript of Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.
![Page 1: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Stagnation and Decline of Communism Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991
![Page 2: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union:
1. Negative comparisons with West
2. Communism was not working
3. Pressure of Western containment policy and Soviet military spending
4. Persistence of nationalism
5. Dissidents and Human Rights
6. Soviet intervention in Afghan war (1979-1989)
7. Poland: Solidarity
8. Mikhail Gorbachev
9. Chernobyl nuclear disaster (April 1986)
![Page 3: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse of communism, 1989-1991
1. Negative comparisons with West– Jeans– Toilet paper– Birth control devices– Healthcare– Service– Soap operas– High-heeled shoes– “Equality in poverty.” Slavenka Drakulic
![Page 4: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse of communism, 1989-1991
2. Communism was not working:• Collective farms never very efficient• Kitchen gardens became crucial• Central planning created industrialization, but
consumer goods sacrificed• Quantity over quality• Bureaucracy was always on the take: Blat• Party elite privileges: special stores, dachas,
vacations
![Page 5: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
3. Pressure of Western containment policy and Soviet military spending: Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), “Star Wars”
![Page 6: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
4. Persistence of Nationalism inside Soviet Bloc and USSR
![Page 7: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
5. Dissidents and Human Rights:
1975: Helsinki Accords
1976: KOR (Committee for the Defense of Workers)
1977: Charter 77
![Page 8: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
6. Soviet intervention in Afghan war (1979-1989):
• Bungled• losing• sapping resources• veterans
![Page 9: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
7. Poland and Solidarity
• Gdansk: Lenin Shipyards• August 1980: Party granted right to unions• September 1980: Solidarity: Union of
Trade Unions• Early 1981: 10 million Solidarity members• December 1981: Martial Law imposed
![Page 10: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
![Page 11: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
![Page 12: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Lech Wałęsa
![Page 13: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
8. Mikhail Gorbachev, r. 1985-1991
• A reformer in sheep’s clothing
• Reform Communism (still idealism)
• Attempted moderate reform
• Perestroika (restructuring)
• Glasnost (openness)
![Page 14: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
9. Chernobyl nuclear disaster (April 1986)
• Scared everyone• Showed technical
incompetence• Showed Party’s priorities• Spawned anti-nuclear
and ecological movements across East Europe
![Page 15: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
1988
• February: Polish government again raises prices workers’ strikes
• October: Solidarity and Polish government began Round Table discussion.
• December: at UN Gorbachev promised to withdraw Soviet troops from Eastern Europe.
![Page 16: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
1989, part I
• February: Hungarian Communists renounced “leading role” and proposed multi-party political system.
• April: Round Table concluded, Solidarity legalized again.
• May: Baltic Republics (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) declared themselves to be sovereign.
• June: Solidarity claimed victory in Polish parliamentary elections, but also Tiananmen Square massacre.
• July: Gorbachev announced that each country can take its own path to socialism.
![Page 17: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
1989, part II• August: First GDR refugees began leaving Soviet
bloc via Hungary.• September: Solidarity-led government took power
in Poland.• October: Gorbachev visited GDR, encouraged
reform and independence.• November: Berlin Wall opened; Czechoslovakian
Communist government resigned: “Velvet Revolution”.
• December: Romanians overthrew Ceaucescu communist regime and executed Ceaucescus.
![Page 18: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
1990• March: Lithuania declared independence
from USSR and German CDU won election; SED got only 16 percent of vote.
• July: CPSU declared end to its monopoly on political power.
• October: Unification of Germany; Gorbachev awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
• December: Lech Walesa elected President of Poland.
![Page 19: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
1991• June: Croatia and Slovenia declared
independence from Yugoslavia; Yugoslav Wars began.
• July: Soviet Republics negotiate new union treaty; Warsaw Pact dissolved.
• August: Hard-line communists orchestrated coup in Moscow; defeated, but meant end of USSR
• December 8: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus created Commonwealth of Independent States USSR ceased to exist.
![Page 20: Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062421/56649d315503460f94a0a0ad/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
The New Europe