Fall of the USSR: Why?

J. André Faust May 07, 2023

The Soviet Union, officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), collapsed in 1991 for a variety of complex reasons, both internal and external. Some key factors include:

1. Economic problems: The centralized, command economy of the USSR was inefficient and inflexible, leading to stagnation and a decline in living standards. As a result, the Soviet Union fell behind technologically and economically compared to Western countries.

2. Political structure: The USSR was a one-party state with a rigid, top-down political system. This led to widespread corruption, bureaucracy, and a lack of incentive for innovation and improvement. Political repression and censorship limited the free flow of ideas and information, further stifling progress.

3. Nationalism and ethnic tensions: The Soviet Union was a diverse country, made up of numerous ethnic groups with their own unique cultures and languages. Forced assimilation and repression of local cultures fueled resentment and separatist movements across the USSR.

4. The arms race and military spending: The Cold War competition with the United States and its allies led the USSR to allocate a significant portion of its resources to military spending. This further strained the economy and diverted resources from social and economic development.

5. Gorbachev's reforms: In the late 1980s, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced a series of reforms aimed at addressing the USSR's economic and political problems. Perestroika (restructuring) attempted to decentralize the economy, while Glasnost (openness) allowed for greater freedom of expression and information. These reforms, however, led to increased public dissatisfaction and demands for more change, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the system.

6. External pressures: The United States and its allies, under President Ronald Reagan, pursued policies aimed at weakening the Soviet Union economically, militarily, and diplomatically. These efforts, combined with other global developments such as the rise of democracy in Eastern Europe, put significant pressure on the USSR.

The combination of these factors, along with others, led to a rapid unraveling of the Soviet Union, which officially dissolved on December 26, 1991

 

Sources:

Books:

1. "The Collapse of the Soviet Union, 1985-1991" by David R. Marples
2. "Armageddon Averted: The Soviet Collapse, 1970-2000" by Stephen Kotkin
3. "Revolution 1989: The Fall of the Soviet Empire" by Victor Sebestyen
4. "Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire" by David Remnick
5. "The End of the Cold War: 1985-1991" by Robert Service
6. "Perestroika: New Thinking for Our Country and the World" by Mikhail Gorbachev
7. "The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union" by Serhii Plokhy

Articles:

1. "The Collapse of the Soviet Union and Ronald Reagan" by Mark Kramer, published in The Washington Quarterly
2. "The Soviet Collapse: Grain and Oil" by Yegor Gaidar, published in the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Documentaries:

1. "CNN Cold War" (1998) - a 24-part television documentary series produced by CNN that covers various aspects of the Cold War, including the fall of the Soviet Union.
2. "The Death of the USSR" (1996) - a BBC documentary that offers an overview of the events leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
3. "The Fall of the Soviet Union" (2013) - a National Geographic documentary that covers the key events and factors contributing to the collapse of the USSR.