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The Collapse of the USSR - Coggle Diagram
The Collapse of the USSR
internal causes
Structural economic stagnation: The Soviet system meant there was a constant lack of consumer goods, long queues and inefficient industry. This caused huge dissatisfaction within society and a loss of faith in socialism.
Perestroika (Restructuring) and Glasnost (Openness): Policies put into place by Mikhail Gorbachev during the mid-1980s to change the economy and allow free speech. This led to political openness which caused massive criticism of the regime and the loss of control by the Communist party.
Nationalism and Ethnic Tensions: The Soviet Republics (Baltic states, Ukraine, Georgia) began to call for their sovereignty. This led to a series of declarations of independence which broke up the territory.
War in Afghanistan (1979-1989): The military and economic drain of this war had a huge impact on the nations morale and resources. This caused the loss of the idea of an unstoppable red army.
Failed Coup (August 1991): The conservative wing of the party tried to overthrow Gorbachev to stop the reforms. This failed and sped up the final collapse of central power. It also gave Boris Yeltsin more power in Russia.
external causes
Arms Race – Too much money was spent on the military in an attempt to keep up with the US during the Ronald Reagan period. This left the Soviets with no money. They were unable to boost their economy domestically and globally.
Fall of the Socialist Bloc (Eastern Europe, 1989) – The USSR lost their geopolitical security zone when satellite communist countries in Eastern Europe fell one by one due to Gorbachev’s decision not to intervene (Sinatra Doctrine). This ended the Cold War.
Berlin Wall Falls (1989) – A clear representation of the division of the bipolar world and end of communism in Europe. This opened the door to Germany uniting and led to the moral collapse of the Soviet bloc.
International Oil Prices – Crude oil prices fell dramatically during the 1980s. This meant that the USSR could no longer earn foreign exchange from their key source. This resulted in a balance of payment crisis and left the country bankrupt.
Western Influence and Capitalist Culture – Western culture and technology entered Soviet society causing younger generations to lose faith in official ideology. This increased public demand for democracy and consumerism.
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Soviet Union Flag (Hammer & Sickle in a red background). This shows that the country is a socialist state. It has ruled over fifteen republics for decades.
Moscow Kremlin. This shows the historical, political and administrative heart of the Soviet and Russia.
The pole with no flag. This represents the end of an institutional period and signifies a drastic change to the political regime.
b. What feelings does it evoke?
Uncertainty and confusion: Many citizens were left confused about their future economically, socially and nationally due to the sudden collapse of a superpower. Sadness: For more conservative people or those who longed for the system, it was a sad day for them as they had lost their superpower status and felt humiliated in a geopolitical aspect. Relief: For many opposition groups and independence movements, it was a relief that the centralised autocratic government had fallen.
c) Why do you feel this image has historical value? How does it give us insight into the context?
Historical Value: This image provides us with the only visual evidence of the end of the Cold War and peaceful break up of one of the largest empires of the 20 th Century. It marks the birth of the Russian Federation and 14 independent republics. Context: The image shows us how the world was changing rapidly. The two polars system (Capitalism/Socialism) had fallen due to the unviability of the Soviet system. The world now had a new hegemony of the Capitalist bloc lead by the United States.
