Full notes for chapter five of the A-Level 'From Lenin to Yeltsin' Edexcel course ( 'Fall of the USSR, 1985-91' ). These notes cover every bullet point of the specification, and are organised by these. They also contain information about answering and analysing interpretation questions.
Revision Notes - Chapter Five, The Fall of
the USSR c.1985-91
EVALUATING INTERPRETATIONS
1. What is the perspective / approach of the historian? (not too important!!)
a. Intentionalist Historians - focus on individuals and their actions. Most centres on the roles
of Gorbachev & Yeltsin and their actions for the fall of the USSR.
b. Structuralist Historians - focus on the structures (political, economic, social) that restrict
the actions of the leader - G+Y constrained by the movements they belonged to.
c. Social Historians - view history from the POV of the ruled not ruler, draws attention to the
experiences of the population, and away from G+Y to their supporters.
2. How does the historian develop their interpretation?
3. What evidence is used as support?
4. Do you accept the judgements they make based on the evidence they use?
Which interp is the most valid/strong has most weaknesses?
HOW IMPORTANT WERE ECONOMIC WEAKNESSES IN BRINGING
ABOUT THE FALL OF THE USSR?
LONG TERM ECONOMIC WEAKNESS
By 1985 the USSR was in serious economic decline:
- low productivity: drunk at work, lack of incentive due to poor conditions, covered up by
propaganda, low pay.
- no price mechanism - government has to guess what to produce - leads to inefficient allocation
of resources - command economy
- slow to adopt new technology
- continuing agricultural weakness resulting in food shortages - ussr has to import grain from usa
- Corruption - nepotism
Reduction of terror - so economic success was needed as propaganda to control the soviet population.
The 1983 Novosibirsk Report highlighted the weaknesses of the soviet economic system - particularly
the growing crisis in agriculture caused by inefficiency and inflexibility. Most members of the politburo
ignored the report, except Gorbachev, who realised that reform was needed- but he was less clear about
the solution required.
- He ended up dismantling the economic system (after a trial and error period) - plunged the
economy into chaos.
1
, GORBACHEV’S ECONOMIC REFORMS - DISCIPLINE & ACCELERATION
Campaign to attack alcoholism:
By the mid 80s alcohol accounted for 15% of all household spending. Gorbachev tripled the cost of
vodka & reduced the number of retail outlets where alcohol could be bought. However:
- Government tax revenues from alcohol fell markedly causing a serious shortfall in the budget.
THE 12TH 5 YEAR PLAN
Gorbachev aimed to increase rates of economic growth. This plan aimed to boost the ailing economy by
traditionally boosting state investment (controlled by central planning). The focus of investment =
science, research, and engineering.
However, it didn’t solve the USSR’s underlying problems:
- Old factories relied on old equipment and became increasingly unproductive.
- Soviet industry was slow to use new technology, and imports of foreign technology were
a drain on valuable foreign exchange, which was often used to import food.
- The agricultural sector was swallowing large sums of investment that were not leading to
improvements in productivity.
- Still quantity not quality - quality often so poor the products were unusable.
Under the 12th plan, Gorbachev tried to streamline the state apparatus in an attempt to avoid waste.
Rather than decentralise economic decision making, ‘superministries’ were set up to achieve better
coordination of activity and reduce waste - however, they failed:
- Implemented by people whose privileged positions the reforms were trying to change.
- Military wanted increased investment - diverting it away from other sectors which needed it to
maintain a supply of consumer goods.
The international situation worsened economic problems - war in Afghanistan was expensive, +
increased spending on defence in light of the US's Strategic Defence Initiative programme.
ECONOMIC PERESTROIKA
1987 - Gorbachev realised the whole Soviet economy would need to be restructured
Perestroika = economic restructuring
Involved introducing market mechanisms into the state controlled economy, allowing an element of
private enterprise - acts as an incentive to encourage greater production and flexibility.
- He wasn’t trying to destroy the communist system, but to reform it by creating amixed economy
Key Features:
● The encouragement of joint ventures, January 1987 - allowed foreign forms to establish
businesses in the Soviet Union, hoping that joint ventures would open the USSR to more modern
technology. Moscow got its first McDonald’s in 1990.
● Co-operatives were legalised in 1988 - allowed small scale private enterprises to be established,
which could set their own prices - this resulted in a flourishing sector of cafes and small shops.
Impact of Perestroika
➔ cooperatives charged higher prices than state owned shops - contributed to inflation & created a
2 tier retail system, where only the better off can afford cooperative prices
◆ the cooperative brought up the best produce resulting in shortages & poor quality
produce in the state owned shops
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