Final Flashcards
Bogus Coalition
Process by which commies go from a genuine coalition governments to controlling parties through political maneuvering and blackmail. Sig cuz it allowed commies to take control in ECE.
Salami Tactics
Political Process in Hungary by which commies took control of government piece by piece, one position at a time. Sig cuz it allowed commies to take control of Hungarian government.
Titoism
When communist countries reject Moscow and try to go it alone, like Tito in Yugoslavia. Virtual death sentence. Sig cuz fear of it made the Soviets want tight control in ECE, and caused the ‘cleansing’ process.
March Day
Student and intellectual protests in Poland in 1968 against the communist government of Poland, inspired by anti-Russian play. Sig cuz it was a big hit for Gomulka and led to his exiting of power.
NEM
New Economic Mechanism in Hungary in 60s Hungary. Opened up Hungarian economy and attempted to make it profitable with specialized exports, specifically light bulbs, wine, salami, and fine horses. Sig cuz it was originally successful is revitalizing the Hungarian economy, but the later failure of it sent economy in turmoil and led to the New Left.
Roundtable Accords
Series of negotiations in 1989 between Solidarity, the communist government of Poland, and the Catholic church in Poland regarding the shift to a market economy and creating a new political system. Sig cuz it led to Solidarity taking almost complete control of the government and communism fell.
Civil Society
The existence of voluntary organizations that lie between the people and the state. It requires a market economy and is there to protect the ideals of the people. Sig cuz the status of civil society in countries in ECE affected how communism ended up falling.
Charter 77
Group in Czechoslovakia in the 70s that were led by Havel who sought to uphold the Helsinki Accords in resistance to the communist government. Though it didn’t get very far, it is sig cuz it led Czechoslovakians to feel like they could challenge their gov, allowing growing resistance and the eventual collapse of the communist regime.
Helsinki Accords
Series of agreements in 1975 between East and West powers, that ultimately ended up giving power to the people of Eastern Europe in the form of human rights in return for things like recognition of territory in communist countries. Sig cuz it led to East Europeans challenging their gov and creating things like Charter 77 or Solidarity, leading to the collapse of communism.
Big Erasure
Attempt by Hungarians in the 60s to undo the last few years of revolution and move forward as a communist country. Sig cuz it led to NEM and the advancement of the Hungarian economy, as well as re-stabilizing the Hungarian government.
Anti-Zionist Campaign
Series of purges of Jews in public life in Poland from 1967 to 1969 as a result of Gomulka and the Arab-Israeli War. Sig cuz it greatly undermined Gomulka and helped lead to his dismissal and the December Events around it.
Gottwald Memorandum
May 1968. Part of the Prague Spring in which the reformers called for drastic education reform. Sig cuz it was way too extreme and led to Prague Spring being put down.
Action Program
Big attempt in April 1968 of Prague Spring to reform Czechoslovakian economy and daily life, calling for things like less censorship, better human rights, and actual elections. Sig cuz its extreme nature, along with Gottwald Memorandum, led to the crushing of the Prague Spring.
KOR
Committee for Worker’s Defense in Poland in 1976. It was there to protect the protesters of the Warsaw and Radom strikes. Sig cuz they led to formation of the KSS, which led to Solidarity, which led to the undermining of the communist government in Poland.
Democratic Forum
Political organization in Hungary, part of Civil Society, from near the fall of communism. It was rather conservative, being focused on small business and on rural areas. Sig cuz it was the leading group in Hungary during the fall of communism and helped guide it through the process, and controlled the government afterwards through elections.
