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Title: Gorbachev & The Ending of the Cold War - AQA A Level History
Description: A Level notes beginning with the Brezhnev Era - full, in depth notes on the way in which Gorbachev's attempts at dealing of the poor Soviet economy/foreign policy led to liberation of several Eastern European states and efficient diplomacy, but also contributed to the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. Excellent revision for A Level.
Description: A Level notes beginning with the Brezhnev Era - full, in depth notes on the way in which Gorbachev's attempts at dealing of the poor Soviet economy/foreign policy led to liberation of several Eastern European states and efficient diplomacy, but also contributed to the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. Excellent revision for A Level.
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Aisha Hussain UVIIIS
GORBACHEV AND THE ENDING OF THE COLD WAR
PRESSURES ON AND SIGNIFICANCE OF GORBACHEV AS SOCIET LEADER
1
...
25% Soviet GNP
spent on military supplies –
hope of catching up with USA
2
...
How did Gorbachev view the problems the Soviet Union faced?
He was a link between minimal economic growth and political, ideological and foreign policy problems
- If economy could expand it would become more efficient → problems would be reduced →
communist system would be strengthened by ensuring national security
- If economy DIDN’T expand: foreign policy aims would be underpinned, and these problems
would remain
He believed the Soviet economy was linked to the Soviet ability to maintain its position as a superpower:
MARCH 1986: 27th Communist Party Congress
“Without the acceleration of the country’s economic and social development, it will be
impossible to maintain out positions on the international scene
...
What factors undermined the performance of the Soviet economy?
The Soviet economy was INFLEXIBLE due to a system of central planning – innovation was rejected –
the Soviet economic system was driven by IDEOLOGICAL CONVICTION rather than global interaction
...
Aisha Hussain UVIIIS
•
•
•
Prices on wine, beer and vodka increased, and restrictions put on the times for
selling alcoholic
...
What reforms were introduced under perestroika?
PERESTROIKA: meaning ‘Restructuring’, referring to major social, political and economic reforms
This was the key to Gorbachev’s economic reforms – he was to amend the existing
economic/production systems, as opposed to completely dismantling them
...
STATE PRICE CONTROLS ENDED: this would lead to an increase in prices and a lower standard of
living at first
...
‘NEW THINKING’: this allowed Gorbachev to open the USSR up to foreign investment – businesses
were forced to function as profit-making organisations, but enterprises would remained state owned
...
What changes did glasnost bring about?
GLASNOST: meaning ‘Openness’, allowed citizens more freedom to discuss political problems
In 1986, the need for reform became apparent…
25TH APRIL 1986 – CHERNOBLYN DISASTER – news of explosion was
initially suppressed but Sweden, noticing high levels of radiation coming from
Ukraine, forced the USSR to publicly acknowledge the accident
...
19TH DECEMBER 1986 – ANDREI SAKHAROV – physicist, initially help in
internal exile
...
These events let to
criticism of the
government,
concerning both its
actions and they way
it was portrayed to
the Soviet public
...
Former enemies of the
state were rehabilitated during this time
...
7
...
1983: Reagan announces STRATEGIC DEFENCE INITIATIVE (SDI) → nuclear armament was
again accelerated
...
This alienated Easter Europe → encouraged them to move towards the Western capitalist
economic system
...
8
...
Previous leaders had focused on the shaping the USSR around the idea that it was the leader
of global communism, without thinking of the costs of maintaining a strong military (a necessity in
promoting such an objective)
...
What economic problems was Gorbachev facing?
1The Soviet Union had only occasional and irregular periods of unsustained economic growth, usually
due to exportation of oil
...
(Despite this, the Soviets
did benefit and continue to benefit from armament exports)
1970s: The Soviets were dependent on foreign grain – the demand from Soviet cities rose as a result
of population growth, and so, despite the increase in domestic grain production in the 80s, the Soviets
could not meet demands
...
AFGHANISTAN: the war was costly in terms of both economics and society – the Soviets knew it was
obvious they needed to withdraw
...
What problems were caused by Gorbachev’s attempts to reform the economy under
perestroika?
SHORT TERM:
The public saw poor standards or living, whilst a small entrepreneurial class was benefitting
...
Aisha Hussain UVIIIS
LONG TERM:
Criticism of collectivisation emerged – glasnost also led to a re-examination of the government
role, but this was rejected
...
Gorbachev oversaw the end of collectivisation → the Soviets turns to privatisation; farmers were
granted long-term leases to improve productivity
...
11
...
Gorbachev sought to remove the apparatchiks
(members of the Communist Party/government bureaucracy who had expressed an interest in
maintaining the status quo), as they benefitted from the system
...
Gorbachev’s envisioned political changes did no materialise as he had hoped, and the resulting
change accelerated the collapse of the USSR
...
What was the impact of perestroika and glasnost on the communist system?
Both perestroika and glasnost served to undermine the communist system
Title: Gorbachev & The Ending of the Cold War - AQA A Level History
Description: A Level notes beginning with the Brezhnev Era - full, in depth notes on the way in which Gorbachev's attempts at dealing of the poor Soviet economy/foreign policy led to liberation of several Eastern European states and efficient diplomacy, but also contributed to the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. Excellent revision for A Level.
Description: A Level notes beginning with the Brezhnev Era - full, in depth notes on the way in which Gorbachev's attempts at dealing of the poor Soviet economy/foreign policy led to liberation of several Eastern European states and efficient diplomacy, but also contributed to the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. Excellent revision for A Level.