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Struggles for Democracy

Struggles for Democracy. (1945 – Present). >1 political party Universal suffrage (all adults). DEMOCRACY. Free Elections. High levels of education & literacy Economic security Freedoms of speech, press & assembly. Citizen Participation. All citizens equal before the law

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Struggles for Democracy

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  1. Struggles for Democracy (1945 – Present)

  2. >1 political party • Universal suffrage (all adults) DEMOCRACY Free Elections • High levels of education & literacy • Economic security • Freedoms of speech, press & • assembly Citizen Participation • All citizens equal before the law • Shared national identity • Protection of individual rights • (e.g., religion) • Representatives elected by people Majority Rule w/ Minority Rights • Gov’t based on tradition & law • Widespread civics education • Acceptance of majority decisions • Shared belief no one is above law Constitutional Gov’t

  3. 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the USSR & wants reform Economic Reform – perestroika – introduced some capitalism which stimulated the economy, but inflation increased & there were shortages of food & medicine Political Reform – glasnost – “openness” to stimulate ideas, people needed to express their ideas → ended censorship & encouraged criticism Fall of the USSR

  4. 1980s – Economic problems caused labor unrest Lech Walesa helped organize a trade union Solidarity USSR outlawed the union and & arrested Walesa 1989 – free elections → Walesa became President (although the country still faced economic problems) Republics Break Away Poland

  5. October 1989, huge demonstrations broke out in cities across East Germany in response to growing democracy elsewhere in Eastern Europe → Erich Honecker, party boss, lost authority w/ the party & resigned November 1989, Egon Krenz (new E. German leader) opened the Berlin Wall in an effort to restore stability Once the wall fell, Germany was reunified on October 3, 1990 w/ help from W. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl Republics Break Away East Germany

  6. March 1990, Lithuania declared its independence → Gorbachev ordered a blockade of the republic January 1991 – Soviet troops attacked unarmed civilians in Lithuania’s capital in a show of force June 1991 - Boris Yeltsin is chosen to become Russia’s first directly elected President August 1991 – upset w/ reform, Soviet hard-liners tried, but failed a coup attempt Soon after the failed coup, Estonia & Latvia declared their independence & other republics followed December 1991 - all 15 republics were independent Collapse of the USSR

  7. 1980 – Josip Tito, the communist leader died → communist control gradually weakened Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic tried to assert Serbian leadership over Yugoslavia Slovenia & Croatia declared their independence June 1991, Serbia invaded (resulted in a UN ceasefire Jan. 1992) Yugoslavia

  8. Feb 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence (Bosnian Muslims 44% in favor, Croats 17% in favor, but Serbs 31% opposed) Bosnian Serbs launched a brutal war in March 1992 – they practiced ethnic cleansing to rid Bosnia of its Muslim population (approx. 200k people died & 2 million fled their homes) By 1995, Serbs controlled 70% of Bosnia Yugoslavia (cont)

  9. 25,000 UN troops were sent to keep peace, distribute food & medical supplies December 1995 the leaders signed a peace treaty September 1996 Bosnians elected a 3-person presidency (one leader per ethnic group) Late 1990s, Milosevic sent Yugoslav troops against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo (Muslims) After refusing a NATO peace plan, Milosevic was arrested, put on trial & died of a heart attack March 2006 Yugoslavia (cont)

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