PRESCRIBED SUBJECT Route 2 Prescribed Subject 3 Communism

• 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

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!!)

• Gorbachev is a commited Communist Gorbachev’s Reforms • – 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)

• Campaign v. Alcoholism Gorbachev’s Reforms – – – 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

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

• Political Reform Gorbachev’s Reforms – 19 th 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 – 1 st CPD Session • Televised • Debate Stalin, economy, corruption, end of CPSU domination • Problem is it makes USSR more unstable as left and right both unhappy

• Political Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms – 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 19 th 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

• Political Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms – 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

• Political Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms – 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

• Economic Reform Gorbachev’s Reforms – 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 12 th 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 1980 s – 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

• Economic Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms – 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%

• Economic Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms • FOLLOWING IS NOT ON EXAM: INFO. PURPOSES ONLY • Mar. 1990 3 rd 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

• Economic Reform (con’t) Gorbachev’s Reforms • 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

• Foreign Policy Gorbachev’s 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

• Foreign Policy Gorbachev’s 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 SS 20 s 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