Stagnation and Decline of Communism
in Eastern Europe, 1970-1991
CAUSES of the collapse of Communism in
Eastern Europe and Soviet Union:
1. Negative comparisons with West
2. Communism was not working
3. Pressure of Western containment policy and
Soviet military spending
4. Persistence of nationalism
5. Dissidents and Human Rights
6. Soviet intervention in Afghan war (1979-1989)
7. Poland: Solidarity
8. Mikhail Gorbachev
9. Chernobyl nuclear disaster (April 1986)
CAUSES of the collapse of communism,
1989-1991
1. Negative comparisons with West
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Jeans
Toilet paper
Birth control devices
Healthcare
Service
Soap operas
High-heeled shoes
“Equality in poverty.” Slavenka Drakulic
CAUSES of the collapse of communism,
1989-1991
2. Communism was not working:
• Collective farms never very efficient
• Kitchen gardens became crucial
• Central planning created industrialization, but
consumer goods sacrificed
• Quantity over quality
• Bureaucracy was always on the take: Blat
• Party elite privileges: special stores, dachas,
vacations
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
3. Pressure of Western containment policy and Soviet
military spending: Strategic Defense Initiative
(SDI), “Star Wars”
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
4. Persistence of Nationalism inside Soviet Bloc and USSR
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
5. Dissidents and Human Rights:
1975: Helsinki Accords
1976: KOR (Committee for the Defense of Workers)
1977: Charter 77
CAUSES of the collapse, 1989-1991
6. Soviet intervention in
Afghan war (19791989):
•
Bungled
•
losing
•
sapping resources
•
veterans
7. Poland and Solidarity
• Gdansk: Lenin Shipyards
• August 1980: Party granted right to unions
• September 1980: Solidarity: Union of
Trade Unions
• Early 1981: 10 million Solidarity members
• December 1981: Martial Law imposed
Lech Wałęsa
8. Mikhail Gorbachev, r.
1985-1991
• A reformer in sheep’s
clothing
• Reform Communism
(still idealism)
• Attempted moderate
reform
• Perestroika
(restructuring)
• Glasnost (openness)
9. Chernobyl nuclear disaster
(April 1986)
•
Scared everyone
•
Showed technical
incompetence
•
Showed Party’s priorities
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Spawned anti-nuclear
and ecological
movements across East
Europe
1988
• February: Polish government again
raises prices  workers’ strikes
• October: Solidarity and Polish
government began Round Table
discussion.
• December: at UN Gorbachev
promised to withdraw Soviet troops
from Eastern Europe.
1989, part I
• February: Hungarian Communists renounced
“leading role” and proposed multi-party political
system.
• April: Round Table concluded, Solidarity
legalized again.
• May: Baltic Republics (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia)
declared themselves to be sovereign.
• June: Solidarity claimed victory in Polish
parliamentary elections, but also Tiananmen
Square massacre.
• July: Gorbachev announced that each country
can take its own path to socialism.
1989, part II
• August: First GDR refugees began leaving Soviet
bloc via Hungary.
• September: Solidarity-led government took power
in Poland.
• October: Gorbachev visited GDR, encouraged
reform and independence.
• November: Berlin Wall opened; Czechoslovakian
Communist government resigned: “Velvet
Revolution”.
• December: Romanians overthrew Ceaucescu
communist regime and executed Ceaucescus.
1990
• March: Lithuania declared independence
from USSR and German CDU won
election; SED got only 16 percent of vote.
• July: CPSU declared end to its monopoly
on political power.
• October: Unification of Germany;
Gorbachev awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
• December: Lech Walesa elected President
of Poland.
1991
• June: Croatia and Slovenia declared
independence from Yugoslavia; Yugoslav
Wars began.
• July: Soviet Republics negotiate new
union treaty; Warsaw Pact dissolved.
• August: Hard-line communists
orchestrated coup in Moscow; defeated,
but meant end of USSR
• December 8: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
created Commonwealth of Independent
States  USSR ceased to exist.
The New Europe