notes 17 decline + collapse of soviet union

Question 1

effect of stalin’s death

Answer 1

died in 1953
repression became less overwhelming (no gulags, etc.) which lowered initiative
more dissidents began to speak up and spread their new ideas
was hard to spread these ideas because ussr still controlled/censored means of printing and publishing

Question 2

nomenklatura

Answer 2

an elite group in ussr despite it being “a state without class distinctions”
politicians, scientists, military officers, high level bureaucrats
got greater access to better goods and services to buy support for the authoritarian government

Question 3

deficit goods

Answer 3

nomenklatura received deficit goods as long as they kept supporting the authoritarian ussr government
paid vacations and better shops, housing, healthcare
there were two systems for each of these things, ex. understocked stores for normal people, more and better quality products in nomenklatura stores

Question 4

economic decline in ussr 1970s-80s

Answer 4

STRUGGLING TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE

cause:
- central planning –> quotas –> no incentive to go past quota because no personal benefit –> inefficiency and indifference
- production spiked at the last minute (end of each month) to reach quotas, otherwise very slow
- little investment in new technology = less efficient = pollution + advanced slower than capitalist societies

effect:
- essentials (food, clothing, shelter) were limited and niceties (haircare, nice outfits; to provide motivation and overall happiness) were basically impossible to get
- limited supply –> hoarding –> even more limited supply
- black market to fulfill needs, more expensive than stores

Question 5

mikhail gorbachev

Answer 5

came to power as president of ussr in 1985
publicly spoke against stalin
created non-stalinist model for ussr by introducing:
–> glasnost (political openness)
–> perestroika (political change)
led to nationalism in other members (not russia) of the ussr

Question 6

dissolution (dissolving) of the ussr

Answer 6

december 25, 1991
all 15 other countries gained independence from russia as gorbachev resigned and after increased nationalism resulted from less repression

Question 7

environment in ussr

Answer 7

soviet system restricted open conversation / ideas of change
decisions only made to increase production, nothing else was considered
environmental consequences damaged food production and resulted in accidents
chernobyl accident (1968) reinforced that their priorities were misplaced

Question 8

careerism

Answer 8

falsification of production in order to protect your job, lying about meeting quotas
leads to shortfalls in production goals, which a communist economy is based on

Question 9

hidden inflation

Answer 9

wages increase while prices stay the same
⬇️
companies have to pay more while receiving the same amount of money
⬇️
shortages of goods

only really happens in communist society (capitalist: demand determines prices + supply)