The Fall of Communism & the Political Transformation of Eastern Europe

1. The Fall of Communism & the Political Transformation of Eastern Europe

2. Terms of (dis)Union Confederation 60 Years On Wednesday, April 1, 7:30-9:30pm Inco Lecture Theatre – room IIC-2001 (All Welcome – free parking in lot 18) Panel Discussants Terry Bishop-Stirling, History Christopher Dunn, Political Science Jim Feehan, Economics Russell Wangersky, The Telegram Jeff Webb, History Moderator Doug Letto, CBC TV

3. Final exam • Friday, April 17th • 3-5:00 p.m. • Location • SN3042 • Format: • Largely essay • Some shorter response • Greater emphasis on work since the midterm • Further information Thursday

4. 1989 in context • Momentous events: • Fall of the Berlin Wall • collapse or transformation of Communist regimes in east-central Europe • Hungary • DDR (German Democratic Republic) • Poland • Czechoslovakia • Bulgaria • Romania • Followed by • Re-unification of Germany, 1990 • Break up of the Soviet Union, 1990-91

5. Soviet and East European regimes • Ostensibly regimes in which a ruling Communist party was overseeing transition from socialism to communism • Party-state systemsin which • The state owned means of production • Ruling party interpenetrated state apparatus • State planned and directed the economy through 5 year plans

6. Ruling Communist parties • Typically the only legal party: • Restricted membership • Purges – especially in Stalin period • Constitutionally the “leading and guiding force” • Parties were vast bureaucratic structure, paralleling and shadowing state structures • Functioned as mammoth personnel agency, • recruiting and socializing loyal members • deploying them through state apparatus • Ideological orthodoxy enforced in varying degrees

7. The USSR • Stalin and Stalinism • Purges and show trials in 1930s • Collectivization of agriculture • Rapid industrialization • Following death of Stalin in 1953 • Relaxation of totalitarian features • Denunciation of Stalin at 20th Party Congress (1956) • Continuation of central planning – but some shift toward consumer goods • Some limited space for dissent within an authoritarian party-state

8. Communism in Eastern Europe • Soviet-style systems established after WW II • Ruling Communist parties purged • Similar attempts at central planning • Uprisings and rebellions suppressed • East Germany – 1953 • Hungary – 1956 • Czechoslovakia (“Prague Spring”) 1968

9. Variations in Actually Existing Socialism • Hungary • Gradual relaxation following 1956 repression • Managerial autonomy • Goulash socialism

10. Poland • Party unable to establish complete control • De-collectivization of land under Gomulka • Periodic resistance to food price increases • Workers strike 1970, again in 1976 • Increases rolled back with government & USSR subsidizing Poles • Strong national identity • Independent position of Roman Catholic Church -- reinforced when Cardinal Wojtyla becomes Pope John Paul II in 1978

11. Poland: 1980-1981 • Nationwide resistance to price increases • Solidarity Trade Union formed (1980) • Party chair Gierek negotiates with Solidarity • Free trade unions permitted • Right to strike recognized • Censorship to be eased • Political prisoners to be released • Warsaw Pact divided about response

12. Poland: 1981-1989 • General Jaruzelski made Prime Minister • Solidarity cautions restraint • Demand for free trade unions throughout east Europe = demand too far • Solidarity banned • Assumes underground existence – • Sheltered by RC Church & increasingly independent civil society • Cat & mouse game with authorities • Jaruzelski’s role: • A hardliner, soft-liner, or mediator?

13. Yugoslavia • Wartime partisan movement comes to power • Independent of Soviet control from 1948 • Experiments with workplace democracy • After Tito’s death (1980) growing centrifugal pressures

14. More orthodox regimes • German Democratic Republic (DDR) • Repression of revolt in 1953 • Construction of Berlin Wall, 1961 • Maintenance of vast spy apparatus – Stasi • Czechoslovakia • Strong domestic communist party comes to power after WW II • Prague Spring (1968)= brief interlude • Repression resumes after Warsaw pact invasion

15. Problems in the 1970s and 1980s • Limits of central planning • Difficulty of targeting • All thumbs and no fingers • Growing problems of corruption: • Party & nomenklature (those appointed)as privileged elite • A stratified rather than classless society • Ability to improve living conditions to a certain extent, but not beyond • Growing stagnation (especially USSR) • Difficulty containing dissent

16. Containing dissent • Manifestations: • Samizdat (USSR) • KOR (Committee of Resistance, Poland, from 1976) • Solidarity • Charter ’77 (Czechoslovakia) • Different solutions tried: • Co-optation and exclusion • Marginalization or exile • Repression • Parties’ dilemma • cooperation & energy of intellectuals & civil society was needed • Allowing autonomy risked loss of control

17. Reform and transformation in the USSR • 1964-1980 • Collective leadership under Brezhnev • Rule by aging gerontocracy • Party in fact divided between defenders of status quo & reformers • 1981-1983 • Andropov (ex. KGB) initiates reforms • But slowed by illness & death • 1983-84 • Chernenko assumes control • Member of old guard • Sick, dies • Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary, 1985

18. Gorbachev (1985-91) • Andropov protégé • Aware of stagnation & • Diminished ability to compete militarily with West • Attempts to reform the system from within - emphasize • Glasnost(openness) –state admits truth • Perestrioka:restructuring, reform, e.g. • Encourage competition within party • Loosen grip of party on state • Problems: • Large bureaucratic organizations difficult to reform • Resistance from those who prefer discipline to reform • Party (CPSU) was lynchpin holding system together

19. Consequences: • 1985 summit: improved relations with west • Internal turmoil in USSR • Reform stalled • Growing nationality problems • Party loosens grip on state • USSR loosens grip on Eastern Europe • USSR itself poised to disintegrate

20. Transformation in Eastern Europe • DDR • Massive demonstrations • Increased exit (via Hungary) • Regime attempts transformation – loses grip and will to repress –opens Berlin Wall • Poland • Military had assumed power following 1981 • Cat and mouse game with Solidarity • Negotiated transition in 1989 – with seats guaranteed for Communists

21. Transformation– cont’d • Czechoslovakia • Comes alive in late 1989 • Demonstrations • Regime collapses • Hungary • Communist Party surrenders monopoly, permits competition • Bulgaria • Elections permitted • Romania • Rebellion from within regime • USSR: • Baltic States break away in 1990 • USSR disintegrates in 1991

22. Outcomes • End of Cold War • a uni-polar or multi-polar world? • Expansion of NATO • An End of History? (Francis Fukiyama) • Transitions to democracy not only in Southern Europe but also Eastern Europe • More certain in Central than Eastern Europe or former Soviet Republics –end up as illiberal democracies • Central Europe returns to European fold