PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis

1. PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2: • Prescribed Subject 3: Communism in Crisis • The Fall of Communism: The USSR and Eastern Europe • Area # 2 • Gorbachev and His Aims/Policies (Glasnost and Perestroika and the Consequences for the Soviet State

2. Between Brezhnev and Gorbachev • Brezhnev dies Nov. 1982 • Yuri Andropov head of KGB is selected as new leader • Very Bright but has fatal kidney condition and is 69 years old • Tries to modernize and reform, brings in “young” leaders like Gorbachev • Seriously ill most of 1983-84 and dies in Feb 1984 • Konstantin Chernenko is the last gasp of the old guard • 72 has emphysema but is selected anyway • Dies March 1985 • Mikhail Gorbachev born 1931 age 54 • 1980 joins Politburo as youngest member • Andropov protégé • Flexible, open manner Fails as head of Soviet Agriculture but reputation unharmed (nobody can fix Soviet agriculture!!)

3. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Gorbachev is a commited Communist • No intention of presiding over the demise of the USSR • Wants to reform and reinvigorate CPSU • Reform economy but retain state socialism • Key allies • N. Ryzhkov Prime Minister • Yegor Ligachev (Deputy/Assistant • E. Shevardnadze (Foreign Ministry) • A. Yakovlev (adviser) • Group makes Politburo much younger than Brezhnev’s • First Effort is ant-corruption campaign • Ousts half P-B and Cent. Com. Despite opposition of traditionalists • Half Provicial Party Secretaries also forced out and 2/3’s of gov’t ministers • Problem is low level officials still protect their privileges • Eventually attacked as too cautious by the Left(Reformers) and too radical by the right (traditionalists)

4. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Campaign v. Alcoholism • Reduced production • Cracked down on home production and stills • Total Failure • Organized crime sells it anyway, stills continue • Lose 28 bi. Rubles in taxes (abandoned 1988) • GLASNOST • Openness • Goal is to reform not dismantle CPSU • Make state management open to debate • Expose and circumvent petty officials by political criticism • Unleashes radical reforms by mistake • Perestroika • Restructuring • Loose definition is Gorbachev’s reform • No clear plan: Left 1984-89, Right 1990, Left again 1991

5. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Initial Reforms aimed at gov’t, quickly becomes relaxation in all areas • Art, writing, news, media • Chernobyl melt down key turning point • Encourage open debate to end obstruction of reforms by low level officials • Sakharov brought back 1986 • 1988 corruption, econ. problems, the Terror all open for debate (unheard of freedom) • Even investigate Stalin’s actions • Openness leads to civic society • Clubs, associations • Nationalist movements, Democratic ones • Recreational groups • Democratic Union independent political party formed • First challenge to Glasnost is Andreyeva Letter • She writes to newspaper defending parts of Stalinism and Marxism/Leninism • Ligachev supports it and Gorby fires him • Glasnost continues under Yakovlev

6. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform • 19th Party Congress 1988 • Term limits and multi-candidate elections of officials (Still communists) • Democracy within CPSU not the country as a whole • Gorbachev decides to go around the CPSU and creates the Congress of Peoples Deputies Dec. 1988 • Circumvent the bureaucrats holding up reforms • 2250 Deputies elect 542 member Supreme Soviet • 1/3 must be appointed CPSU • Gen’l Secretary of CPSU assumed to Chair the Sup. Soviet • 1989 Election conservatives win but 400 reformers elected 90% vote • 1st CPD Session • Televised • Debate Stalin, economy, corruption, end of CPSU domination • Problem is it makes USSR more unstable as left and right both unhappy

7. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • Gorbachev now faces attacks from the Left (not reforming fast enough) and the Right (going way too fast) • Also faces threats from charismatic newcomers • Boris Yeltsin is local Party anti-corruption boss and is brought in to run the Moscow Party organization • Populist who mingles with the people • Antagonizes Ligachev when he criticizes Party perks • Then publicly says Perestroika too slow • Publicly humiliated and fired Oct.1987 • Public apology at 19th Congress 1988 but is not reappointed • Re-emerges as Russian nationalist (Opportunist??) • Wins Moscow seat in 1989 CPD elections • In 1990 he is elected to the Russian Republic Congress (not the CPR of the USSR but the “state’ congress) • Chosen speaker of the Russian (not USSR Soviet) • 1991 elected President of the Russian Republic • He is therefore, unlike Gorbachev democratically elected

8. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • The Union Question • The Soviet Union has little attraction to the nationalities making up 48% of the USSR • The Tsar had justified Empire by divine right, Communism had used coercion • Under Gorby the CPSU was now just another political Party looking for votes • Intense nationalism follows. Why? • Economy gets worse and worse so why remain in USSR • Gorbachev encourages openness and debate • 1989 independence movements occur in Pol., Czech., Hungary, E. Ger., Bulgaria and Romania • Leads to vocal autonomy movements throughout USSR even in the RSFSR

9. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Political Reform (con’t) • The Union Question (con’t) • Baltic States • Popular fronts for independence spring up • 1988 Estonia says it can overrule USSR Laws • Nov. Estonia and Lithuania abandon Russian as their official language • March 1990 Lith. Annouces independence but backs down when Gorby announces economic blockade • Azerbaijan/Armenian violence breaks out 1988 • Georgia independence riots 1989 • 1 mi. person human chain in Baltics to demand independence Aug. 1989 • Russian Nationalism as well • 50% of total population • Resent supporting poorer republics • Elect Russian CPD in 1990 and claim RSFSR Law trumps USSR laws

10. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform • Gorby reforms make economy worse and he seems to have no clear plan • Cautious and unsure with his reforms • Creates a new organization for Agricultural Plans Gosagroprom • Acoomplishes nothing • 1986 12th 5 Year Plan still focuses on machinery • Trade defifict explodes from 17 to 64 bi. rubles ($100 bi.) Why? • Costs of western tech. imports • Alcohol sales fall • Oil and gas prices fall mid 1980s • When further reforms fail Gorby introduces : “Regulated Market” (Law on State Enterprises) • Like NEP small free market businesses and co-ops • State industry can sell part of production on free market

11. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • Law on Cooperatives 1988 • Can set their own prices and sell overseas • 13,000 1988 to 245,000 in 1991 • Problem is they have to bribe state officials • State officials steal state assets and sell them • Organized Crime expands • They compete with state enterprises reducing state income • Inflation • Price controls loosened • Print money • Law on state Enterprises lets workers elect managers who tend to raise wages • Meat and sugar rationed • 40% of hard currency spent on grain imports (can’t buy high tech.) • 1990 GDP down 9%

12. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • FOLLOWING IS NOT ON EXAM: INFO. PURPOSES ONLY • Mar.1990 3rd CPD ends CPSU control • Multi-Party Elections • President (Elected) Replaces Politburo • Gorbachev moves Radical Left • 500 Days Program (Early 1990) • Proposes free enterprise, private property and free market • Now shifts to right • Appoints hard liner Bris Pugo • Sends special forces to crack down on Baltics • Massive riots and Gorby shifts to center

13. Gorbachev’s Reforms • Economic Reform (con’t) • FOLLOWING IS NOT ON EXAM: INFO. PURPOSES ONLY • Gorby now proposes Union treaty granting local autonomy • Hardliners Kryuchov (KGB), Pugo (Interior), Yazov (Defense) try to pressure Gorby to cancel Union Treaty • Arrest him when he refuses • Yeltsin stands on a tank outside the Russion “White House” soldiers won’t fire on civilian protestors rallied by Yeltsin • Coup collapses Gorby comes back but Yeltsin is real power • Humiliates Gorby and dismantles the USSR

14. Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy • Foreign Policy • 1985 Gorbachev seeks better relations with the West • Wants to cut defense spending to increase domestic spending • Lack technology to match SDI • Wants to defuse Second Cold War • Wants to leave Afghanistan • Reasonable Defense Sufficiency • Use conventional weapons for defense and cut Nuclear arsenal • More flexible than past leaders, makes concessions • Gets along with Reagan and Thatcher • Reagan recognizes USSR is genuinely fearful • New Reagan advisors (Weinberger replaced by Carlucci, Schultz, Powell willing to deal • Gorby tells Eastern Europe leaders he will not intervene militarrily • Free to go their own way • Not much choice as USSR econ. in collapse

15. Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy • Foreign Policy • Successes • Geneva Summit Nov. 1985 Reagan and Gorbachev reach working relationship • Reykjavik Summit 1986 almost agree to eliminate nuclear weapons but Reagan won’t give up SDI • Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty USSR gives up SS20s and US Pershings and cruise missiles • Gorby agrees to on site inspections and doesn’t demand Fr/Br. scrap their nukes • Withdraws from Afghanistan Apr. 1998 • Reduces Red Army 10% 1988 • Conventional Forces Europe Treaty 195,000 US and 195,000 USSR troops in Europe • START I 1600 ICBM Limit cut to 6000 total warheads • START II Bans MIRVs but both sides withdraw in 2002