5D - PERSONALITIES - GORBACHEV Flashcards
(16 cards)
What had rationalisation led to?
A decline in economic growth, making economic conditions worse and undermining within the party
What had glasnost caused?
Undermined faith and the ideology
Failed to anticipate the effects
Filed to see the fragility of commitment to the Soviet union
What had democratisation done?
Weakened the CP by allowing alternative candidates to stand
Refused to stand for election
What happened during the transition stage?
Gorbachev abandoned the essential features of communism
What had reforms caused?
Weakened the Soviet union and allowed rival national powerbases to emerge
Believed that reform could save the Soviet union - created a crisis
What had Perestroika led to?
Economic reforms that led to the transformation - decline
Why had Gorbachev accepted westernising
Stated that he wanted to abandon isolate and re-enter our common European home
What happened socially?
Travel restrictions were eased
1985: 129 dissidents moved to be united with their spouses
Authorities stopped jamming western radio transmitters
From 1985-1990 who did Gorbachev side with?
Radical reformists
From 1990-1991 who did Gorbachev side with?
Conservatives
What had Gorbachev failed to do politically?
Shifted ideologies without allowing any to develop further
Failed to win over the CP
Undermined the authority of the CP
How was China different?
China had embraced market reform
Economy grew but political authority was retained
How was Gorbachev viewed in the West?
Positively as the Soviet leader who ended the cold war and dismantled communism
How was Gorbachev viewed in Russia?
Blamed him for being a failed reformers + for destroying the USSR
Evidence for him being responsible
Lack of vision
Naivety
Powerbase
Expectations
Foreign policy
Nationalities
Inconsistency
Indecision
Evidence for him not being responsible
Policies individually had merit, it was the timing he got wrong
Success as a leader
Avoidance of force
Luck and international events
