In this article you will learn about The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union.
Brief Historical Background : The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union
In 1917, Russia came to be the first socialist state of the world and soon it recognised itself into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - the USSR. Initially, it decided to concentrate upon the work of internal consolidation and socialist state-building. Within a short span of about 25 years, it was in a position to make spectacular progress in all spheres of internal administration - social, economic, political, cultural and military. It began getting transformed from its earlier status as the sick regime of Europe, to a developed state and a powerful global actor. During 1917-39 it abstained from exporting socialism to other countries.
During the period of the Second World War, the USSR first consolidated its position and thereafter in June 1941 it joined the war against the Axis power, particularly against Hitler’s Germany which had invaded it in June 1941. In this war the USSR played a very big role in the defeat of Hitler’s Germany. In this way, it was completely demonstrated not only its new military might but also its ability to ensure and secure its desired objectives in international relations.
After the war, the USSR decided to fill in the power vacuum which had resulted from the loss of power suffered by all the European states, and also decided to export socialism to European states, and was actually successful in getting Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Albania, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia transformed into socialist regimes. All those states, except Yugoslavia, got organised under Soviet leadership into a group of socialist countries. Then in 1955, the USSR and those socialist countries entered into the Warsaw Pact and formed the Socialist Bloc in world politics.
The Soviet interests and policies in Europe as well in other parts of the world were challenged by the USA and other democratic (capitalist) countries of the West, particularly the Western European countries. The USA adopted the policy of ‘Containment of Communism’ and ‘Massive Retaliation’ particularly for checking the growing influence and power of the socialist USSR in the world. As a counter move, the USSR decided to challenge the US and Western policies, decisions and interests in international politics. During the process, a cold war broke out between the East and West in general and the USSR and the USA in particular. The emergence of communist China in 1949 gave a big boost to the growing socialist movement in the world. After 1949 the cold war between the USA and the USSR materialised as a cold war between the Socialist East and the Capitalist West.
During 1947-1970 the cold-war continued unabated between the USSR and its bloc on one side and the USA and its bloc on the other side. Each of the two superpowers always acted to limit and isolate the other. In 1962 this cold war even brought the East and West on the brink of a hot war and the danger compelled both the USSR and the USA to lessen the cold war tensions and strains.
Consequently, during 1970-80 a conscious attempt was made by the East and West to reduce the cold war strains and tensions as well as to develop some normalisation of relations between the USSR and the USA. The exercise i.e. detente, however remained limited in scope and partial in approach.
In early 1980s this attempt was once again replaced by a new cold war, which, however, could remain in operation only for 5 to 7 years. The dangers of the New Cold War and the pressures resulting from the Soviet military presence and role in Afghanistan compelled the USSR leadership to realise the need for a new detente in international relations. The leadership/captainship of Mikhail Gorbachev in the USSR and his policies of Perestroika (Restructuring) and Glasnost (Openness) provided a better ground for the birth of a new detente capable of terminating the new cold war. In the mid-1980s, the new cold war got replaced by a new detente and its birth was heralded by the INF Treaty 1987.
In fact around 1985, Gorbachev had adopted the policy of liberalisation of Soviet society and polity and of restructuring the soviet economy. Thereafter the concepts of Perestroika and Glasnost had started guiding the Soviet economy and policies. The USSR came forward to adopt the policy of opening out in international relations through a rejection of cold war and by leading support to the principles of peaceful coexistence, arms control, disarmament and mutual cooperation for development. Within the Soviet Union, Gorbachev introduced multi-party, open debates, multi-candidate elections, public decision-making, democratisation, decentralisation and liberalisation. A wind of change started blowing in the USSR and in other socialist countries of Europe. This however, gave birth to the process of disintegration of the USSR.
This article on The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.