Collapse of the Soviet Union

The Collapse of the Soviet Union, also known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) took place in 1991. The Soviet Union, consisting of fifteen countries, was a federal socialist state situated in Northern Eurasia. Moscow, the current capital of Russia, was previously the capital of the Soviet Union. The Cold War came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and a new chapter in world politics was initiated. In 1990, the disintegration started, leading to the creation of several sovereign states. On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union was collapsed.

History of the Soviet Union

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the USSR was established. With its remote areas, it established a communist super-state in 1922. The Soviet Union’s first leader was Vladimir Lenin. From the beginning, the Soviet Union was intended to appear like an actual democracy.

But with time, its dictatorial nature became clear. The Communist Party was the only allowed party, and all Russian citizens had to be completely faithful to it. Stalin imposed the strictest kind of totalitarian governance after seizing power in 1924. Economic, administrative, and industrial operations, as well as political and social life, were all directly impacted by the state in Russian society. Anyone who disagreed with Stalin faced immediate execution after a mock trial or transported to the Gulag labor camp.

Reason of Collapse of the Soviet Union

Russia was the leader of the loose confederation of 15 republics known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Until its dissolution into smaller parts in 1991, the USSR remained a powerful alliance that exerted major influence over global affairs. The Soviet Union collapsed between 1988 and 1991. Subsequently, the Soviet Union experienced internal political, economic, and ethnic disintegration, resulting in the collapse of the Soviet Union as a sovereign state.

By transforming the political and economic structures of the Soviet Union, General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev aimed to put an end to the Era of Stagnation. To officially acknowledge the dissolution of the Union, Gorbachev was forced to step down from both his position as president and his seat in the dissolved parliament.

Origins of the Soviet Union

Formation of the Soviet Union

• Resulted from the Russian Revolution in 1917.
• Officially named the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1922.
• Vladimir Lenin was its first leader.

Initial Ideals:

• Aimed to establish a society practicing ‘true democracy.’
• However, over time, it became as repressive as the previous Tsarist regime.
• Only allowed the existence of the Communist Party, demanding absolute allegiance.

Totalitarian Control:

• Joseph Stalin assumed leadership in 1924.
• State control extended to various aspects of life, including politics, social affairs, economy, administration, and industry.
• Opposition to Stalin led to severe consequences such as labor camps (Gulags) or execution after show trials.

World War II Impact:

• German invasion in 1941 halted internal conflicts.
• USSR used the war to revitalize its military industry.
• By the war’s end in 1945, the USSR emerged as a major military power.

Post-Stalin Era:

• Stalin’s death in 1953 prompted denouncement of his harsh policies.
• Communist Party retained control, focusing on the ‘Cold War’ and the ‘arms race’ against the United States.
• Utilized military and resources to promote communism globally and suppress anticommunist forces while maintaining influence in Eastern Europe.

Mikhail Gorbachev and the Glasnost Era

Mikhail Gorbachev took over as the Soviet Union’s premier in 1985, having a political system that would not allow for reforms and an economy that was in a state of stagnation. Gorbachev, hoping to turn the Soviet Union into a productive state, implemented two strategies to mediate this situation. The earliest example of this was political openness, or “glasnost.” He granted new liberties to every citizen of the Soviet Republic and abolished the restriction on books that had previously been banned from publication because they contradicted communist ideologies.

Newspapers were allowed to publish criticism of the government, and non-Communist political parties were allowed to run in elections for the first time. Economic restructuring, or “perestroika,” was the second set of policies. By permitting private property ownership and company formation and promoting foreign participation in Soviet businesses, it rejected the prior command economy strategy.

But it was too little, and it was too late with these adjustments. As a result, there was no chance of saving the economy. Gorbachev’s new policies appeared to have one primary impact: long lineups for necessities, food shortages, and rationing. This increased resentment with his government.

Effects of Gorbachev’s Reforms

Even while the reforms had good objectives, as will be explained below, they had the unintended effect of bringing up the collapse of the USSR:

• Long-term outcomes were expected from Gorbachev’s reforms. However, the rapidly losing authority over the Soviet Union was bad for the collapsing political structure.
• With the new changes, the Eastern European states had more opportunities for removing the regime. For example, in 1986–1987, there were anti-government demonstrations in Latvia, Kazakhstan, Crimea, the Baltic States, Armenia, etc.
• He established a non-interventionist position on other nations’ issues. He gave the order to withdraw his forces from Afghanistan by this strategy. Also, he gave the order to withdraw his forces from Eastern Europe.
• As a result, Gorbachev faced opposition from Communist leadership, and the forces’ morale was damaged.

Revolution of 1989

The Soviet Union’s foreign policy involved imposing communist regimes and using military force to intervene in Eastern Europe, allowing it to retain a firm hold on the region. Gorbachev replaced that approach with one of non-intervention, even promising to reduce the military presence in Eastern Europe and remove Soviet troops that had been posted in Afghanistan since 1979.

Poland experienced its first revolution in 1989 when non-Communist trade unionists successfully negotiated for more democratic elections. Peaceful revolutions throughout Eastern Europe ensued, leading to the Berlin Wall’s collapse in November 1989.

Events in the Soviet Union’s Collapse

Mikhael Gorbhachev Rising and Reforms

In 1995, Mikhail Gorbachev was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and he tackled political repression and economic stagnation by implementing reforms like perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness).

The Fall of Berlin Wall

In 1989 the Soviet Union’s power in Eastern Europe was severely damaged when the Berlin Wall, a representation of the Iron Curtain dividing Europe, fell on November 9, 1989. This event also hinted at the impending fall of the Soviet Union.

Ineffective August Coup

In August 1991, a number of fervent communist leaders sought to overthrow Gorbachev in a coup. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic’s President, Boris Yeltsin, became a national hero after the coup attempt failed, severely undermining the Soviet Union’s central administration.

Republics’ Declaration of Independence

In 1991 the Several Soviet countries, notably Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, declared their independence after the unsuccessful coup. The Soviet Union’s fall was expedited by this cascading effect.

The End of Soviet Union

In 1991 the Soviet Union was formally dissolved on December 25, 1991, following Mikhail Gorbachev’s resignation. With the independence of the 15 republics, the communist powerhouse came to an end.

Causes of Collapse of the Soviet Union

The following are the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union:

1. Financial Weakness

The main source of discontent among the citizens of the USSR was the economy’s instability. A severe shortage of consumer goods existed. The causes of the financial crisis were massive military expenditure, the maintenance of Eastern European satellite states, and the preservation of the USSR’s Central Asian Republics.

2. Lack of Political Responsibility

After around 70 years of single-party communist control, the regime became totalitarian. Widespread nepotism, corruption, and a lack of transparency were present. A progressive democratization process that ultimately threatened Communist authority and contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union began with Gorbachev’s decision to allow multi-party elections and establish a presidential system for the Soviet Union.

3. The Reforms of Gorbachev

People wanted more after Michael Gorbachev’s reforms gave them a taste of freedom. The need developed into a powerful force that was challenging to control. The populace desired to quickly catch up with the West.

4. The Rise of Nationalism

The most significant and direct reason for the USSR’s collapse is the growth of nationalism in nations like Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, and the Baltic republics (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). Rather than in the republics of Central Asia, a stronger sense of patriotism was seen in the USSR’s more affluent regions. Regular citizens of wealthy nations disliked having to put out a significant amount of money to help the less developed Central Asian nations.

Read: Why Did the Soviet Union Collapse?

Effects of the Collapse of the Soviet Union

The following are the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union:

• The disintegration of the socialist bloc or the second world.
• Many communist regimes fell during this time as a result of widespread protests.
• End of the Cold War: conclusion of the arms race and the clash of ideologies.
• Shift in the balance of power: unipolar global society, capitalist philosophy, IMF, World Bank, etc.
• Formation of new nations and alliances; the Baltic nations are members of NATO, for example.

Problems With USSR

• Bureaucratic and authoritarian system
• Absence of democracy
• Limited freedom of speech
• Single-party system (communist) without accountability to the public
• Russia’s dominance with disregard for the interests of other republics
• Heavy spending on defense, minimal investment in infrastructure and technology

Conclusion – Collapse of the Soviet Union

Collapse of Soviet Union occur between 1988 and 1991, the Soviet Union began to fall apart. Following that, the collapse of the Soviet Union into political, economic, and ethnic entities brought an end to its status as an independent nation. Mikhail Gorbachev, the former general secretary, was interested in transforming the political and economic systems of the Soviet Union. Germany was split between the capitalist West and the communist USSR following World War II. The collapse of the Soviet Union was caused by a sequence of events that began with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The reasons behind the collapse of the Soviet Union or USSR were political rigidity, economic weakness, and the rise of nationalism.

Causes and Effects of Collapse of the Soviet Union – FAQs

What is USSR full form?

The USSR is short for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

What caused the Collapse of the Soviet Union?

The collapse of the Soviet Union was caused by a sequence of events that began with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

How did the Soviet Union influence the world?

The Soviet Union’s impact on countries leaning towards socialism was primarily through politics and ideology, not economic exploitation. The Soviet Union provided substantial international assistance to these nations to gain influence, even though it ended up negatively affecting its own economy.

What was the main cause of the fall of the Soviet Union?

Gorbachev’s choice to introduce elections with multiple political parties and establish a presidency in the Soviet Union initiated a gradual democratization, leading to the weakening of Communist authority and playing a role in the eventual downfall of the Soviet Union.

What were the results of the Soviet Union?

Fifteen independent countries took the place of the former superpower. These countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

How many countries did the Soviet Union collapse into?

In total, there are 15 post-Soviet states: Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus.

What is the Soviet Union called today?

USSR is known by Russian Federation today. The Russian Federation was seen by the US as the USSR’s successor state upon its collapse in 1991.

What happened after Stalin died?

Nikita Khrushchev succeeded Stalin as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and Georgy Malenkov as Premier of the Soviet Union following Stalin’s death in March 1953.

Who was the last leader of the Soviet Union?

The last leader of the Soviet Union was Mikhael Gorbachev.