When did the collapse of the Soviet Union happen? Why did the USSR collapse
December 25 marks twenty years since the famous “abdication” of the first and last president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, from power. But few people remember that a few days before this there was another speech by Gorbachev, in which the President of the USSR firmly and decisively said that he would protect the country from collapse with all the means at his disposal.
Why did Mikhail Gorbachev refuse to defend the USSR and abdicate power?
Was the USSR doomed or destroyed? What caused the collapse of the USSR? Who is to blame for this?
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was created in December 1922 by uniting the RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, BSSR and ZSFSR. It was the largest country, occupying 1/6 of the earth's landmass. According to the agreement of December 30, 1922, the Union consisted of sovereign republics, each retaining the right to freely secede from the Union, the right to enter into relations with foreign states, and to participate in the activities of international organizations.
Stalin warned that this form of union was unreliable, but Lenin reassured: as long as there is a party holding the country together like reinforcement, the integrity of the country is not in danger. But Stalin turned out to be more far-sighted.
On December 25-26, 1991, the USSR as a subject of international law ceased to exist.
This was preceded by the signing of an agreement on the creation of the CIS in Belovezhskaya Pushcha on December 8, 1991. The Bialowieza Agreements did not dissolve the USSR, but only stated its actual collapse at that time. Formally, Russia and Belarus did not declare independence from the USSR, but only recognized the fact of the end of its existence.
The exit from the USSR was a collapse, since legally none of the republics complied with all the procedures prescribed by the law “On the procedure for resolving issues related to the withdrawal of a union republic from the USSR.”
The following reasons can be identified for the collapse of the Soviet Union:
1\ totalitarian nature of the Soviet system, extinguishing individual initiative, lack of pluralism and real democratic civil liberties
2\ imbalances in the planned economy of the USSR and shortages of consumer goods
3\ interethnic conflicts and corruption of the elites
4\ "Cold War" and the US conspiracy to reduce world oil prices in order to weaken the USSR
5\ Afghan war, man-made and other large-scale disasters
6\ “selling” the “socialist camp” to the West
7\ subjective factor, expressed in the personal struggle of Gorbachev and Yeltsin for power.
When I served in the Northern Fleet, during those years of the Cold War, I myself guessed and explained through political information that the arms race does not serve the purpose of defeating us in the war, but of economically undermining our state.
80% of the USSR's budget expenditures went to defense. They drank about 3 times more alcohol than under the Tsar. The state budget allocated vodka every 6 rubles.
Perhaps the anti-alcohol campaign was necessary, but as a result the state did not receive 20 billion rubles.
In Ukraine alone, people had 120 billion rubles accumulated in their savings books, which were impossible to purchase. It was necessary to get rid of this burden on the economy by any means, which was done.
The collapse of the USSR and the socialist system led to an imbalance and caused tectonic processes in the world. But it would be more correct to talk not about collapse, but about the deliberate collapse of the country.
The collapse of the USSR was a Western project of the Cold War. And the Westerners successfully implemented this project - the USSR ceased to exist.
US President Reagan set his goal to defeat the “evil empire” – the USSR. To this end, he negotiated with Saudi Arabia to reduce oil prices in order to undermine the Soviet economy, which was almost entirely dependent on oil sales.
On September 13, 1985, Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Yamani said that Saudi Arabia was ending its policy of curbing oil production and was beginning to regain its share of the oil market. Over the next 6 months, Saudi Arabia's oil production increased 3.5 times. After which prices decreased by 6.1 times.
In the United States, in order to constantly monitor developments in the Soviet Union, the so-called “Center for the Study of the Progress of Perestroika” was created. It included representatives of the CIA, DIA (military intelligence), and the State Department's Office of Intelligence and Research.
US President George W. Bush said at the Republican National Convention in August 1992 that the collapse of the Soviet Union was due to "the vision and decisive leadership of presidents from both parties."
The ideology of communism turned out to be just a bogeyman of the Cold War. “They aimed at communism, but ended up hitting the people,” admitted the famous sociologist Alexander Zinoviev.
“Whoever does not regret the collapse of the USSR has no heart. And the one who wants to restore the USSR has neither mind nor heart.” According to various sources, 52% of surveyed residents of Belarus, 68% of Russia and 59% of Ukraine regret the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Even Vladimir Putin admitted that “the collapse of the Soviet Union was the biggest geopolitical catastrophe of the century. For the Russian people it became a real drama. Tens of millions of our fellow citizens and compatriots found themselves outside Russian territory.”
It is obvious that KGB Chairman Andropov made a mistake in choosing Gorbachev as his successor. Gorbachev failed to carry out economic reforms. In October 2009, in an interview with Radio Liberty, Mikhail Gorbachev admitted his responsibility for the collapse of the USSR: “This is a resolved issue. Destroyed..."
Some consider Gorbachev an outstanding figure of the era. He is given credit for democratization and openness. But these are only means of carrying out economic reforms that were never implemented. The goal of “perestroika” was to preserve power, just like Khrushchev’s “thaw” and the famous 20th Congress to debunk Stalin’s “cult of personality.”
The USSR could have been saved. But the ruling elite betrayed socialism, the communist idea, its people, exchanged power for money, Crimea for the Kremlin.
The “Terminator” of the USSR, Boris Yeltsin, purposefully destroyed the Union, calling on the republics to take as much sovereignty as they could.
In the same way, at the beginning of the 13th century in Kievan Rus, appanage princes ruined the country, putting the thirst for personal power above national interests.
In 1611, the same elite (boyars) sold themselves to the Poles, letting the false Dmitry into the Kremlin, as long as they retained their privileges.
I remember Yeltsin’s speech at the higher Komsomol school under the Komsomol Central Committee, which became his triumphant return to politics. Compared to Gorbachev, Yeltsin seemed consistent and decisive.
Greedy “young wolves”, who no longer believed in any fairy tales about communism, began to destroy the system in order to get to the “feeding trough”. This is precisely why it was necessary to collapse the USSR and remove Gorbachev. In order to gain unlimited power, almost all republics voted for the collapse of the USSR.
Stalin, of course, shed a lot of blood, but did not allow the country to collapse.
What is more important: human rights or the integrity of the country? If we allow the collapse of the state, then it will be impossible to ensure respect for human rights.
So, either the dictatorship of a strong state, or pseudo-democracy and the collapse of the country.
For some reason, in Russia, the problems of the country's development are always a problem of the personal power of a particular ruler.
I happened to visit the Central Committee of the CPSU in 1989, and I noticed that all the conversations were about the personal struggle between Yeltsin and Gorbachev. The worker of the CPSU Central Committee who invited me said exactly this: “the gentlemen are fighting, but the lads’ foreheads are cracking.”
Gorbachev regarded Boris Yeltsin's first official visit to the United States in 1989 as a conspiracy to seize power from him.
Is this why, immediately after the signing of the CIS agreement, the first person Yeltsin called was not Gorbachev, but US President George Bush, who apparently promised in advance to recognize Russia’s independence.
The KGB knew about the West's plans for the controlled collapse of the USSR, reported to Gorbachev, but he did nothing. He has already received the Nobel Peace Prize.
They just bought the elite. The West bought former regional committee secretaries with presidential honors.
In April 1996, I witnessed US President Clinton's visit to St. Petersburg, I saw him near the Atlantes near the Hermitage. Anatoly Sobchak got into Clinton's car.
I am against totalitarian and authoritarian power. But did Andrei Sakharov, who fought for the abolition of Article 6 of the Constitution, understand that the ban on the CPSU, which formed the backbone of the state, would automatically lead to the collapse of the country into national appanage principalities?
At that time, I published a lot in the domestic press, and in one of my articles in the St. Petersburg newspaper “Smena” I warned: “the main thing is to prevent confrontation.” Alas, it was “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
On July 29, 1991, a meeting between Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Nazarbayev took place in Novo-Ogaryovo, at which they agreed to begin signing a new union Treaty on August 20, 1991. But those who headed the State Emergency Committee proposed their own plan to save the country. Gorbachev decided to leave for Foros, where he simply bided his time to join the winner. He knew everything, since the State Emergency Committee was formed by Gorbachev himself on March 28, 1991.
During the days of the August putsch, I was vacationing in Crimea next to Gorbachev - in Simeiz - and I remember everything well. The day before, I decided to buy an Oreanda stereo tape recorder in the store there, but they didn’t sell it with a USSR bank checkbook, due to local restrictions at that time. On August 19th, these restrictions were suddenly lifted, and on August 20th I was able to make a purchase. But already on August 21, restrictions were introduced again, apparently as a result of the victory of democracy.
The rampant nationalism in the Union republics was explained by the reluctance of the local leaders to drown along with Gorbachev, whose mediocrity in carrying out reforms was already understood by everyone.
In fact, the discussion was about the need to remove Gorbachev from power. Both the top of the CPSU and the opposition led by Yeltsin strived for this. Gorbachev's failure was obvious to many. But he did not want to transfer power to Yeltsin.
That is why Yeltsin was not arrested, hoping that he would join the conspirators. But Yeltsin did not want to share power with anyone, he wanted complete autocracy, which was proven by the dispersal of the Supreme Soviet of Russia in 1993.
Alexander Rutskoy called the State Emergency Committee a “performance.” While the defenders were dying on the streets of Moscow, the democratic elite held a banquet on the fourth underground floor of the White House.
The arrest of members of the State Emergency Committee reminded me of the arrest of members of the Provisional Government in October 1917, who were also soon released, because this was the “agreement” on the transfer of power.
The indecisiveness of the State Emergency Committee can be explained by the fact that the “putsch” was only a staged attempt to “leave gracefully”, taking with it the country’s gold and foreign exchange reserves.
At the end of 1991, when the Democrats seized power and Russia became the legal successor of the USSR, Vnesheconombank had only $700 million in its account. The liabilities of the former Union were estimated at $93.7 billion, assets at $110.1 billion.
The logic of the reformers Gaidar and Yeltsin was simple. They calculated that Russia could survive thanks to the oil pipeline only if it refused to feed its allies.
The new rulers did not have money, and they devalued the monetary deposits of the population. The loss of 10% of the country's population as a result of shock reforms was considered acceptable.
But it was not economic factors that dominated. If private property had been allowed, the USSR would not have collapsed. The reason is different: the elite stopped believing in the socialist idea and decided to cash in their privileges.
The people were a pawn in the struggle for power. Commodity and food shortages were created deliberately to cause discontent among people and thereby destroy the state. Trains with meat and butter stood on the tracks near the capital, but they were not allowed into Moscow in order to cause dissatisfaction with Gorbachev’s power.
It was a war for power, where the people served as bargaining chips.
The conspirators in Belovezhskaya Pushcha were not thinking about preserving the country, but about how to get rid of Gorbachev and gain unlimited power.
Gennady Burbulis, the same one who proposed the formulation of the end of the USSR as a geopolitical reality, later called the collapse of the USSR “a great misfortune and tragedy.”
Co-author of the Belovezhskaya Accords Vyacheslav Kebich (Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus in 1991) admitted: “If I were Gorbachev, I would send a group of riot police and we would all sit quietly in Sailor’s Silence and wait for amnesty.”
But Gorbachev was only thinking about what position he would be given in the CIS.
But it was necessary, without burying our head in the sand, to fight for the territorial integrity of our state.
If Gorbachev had been elected by the people and not by congress deputies, it would have been more difficult to delegitimize him. But he was afraid that the people would not elect him.
In the end, Gorbachev could have transferred power to Yeltsin, and the USSR would have survived. But, apparently, pride did not allow it. As a result, the struggle between two egos led to the collapse of the country.
If it were not for Yeltsin’s manic desire to seize power and overthrow Gorbachev, to take revenge on him for his humiliation, then one could still hope for something. But Yeltsin could not forgive Gorbachev for publicly discrediting him, and when he “dumped” Gorbachev, he assigned him a humiliatingly low pension.
We have often been told that the people are the source of power and the driving force of history. But life shows that sometimes it is the personality of this or that political figure that determines the course of history.
The collapse of the USSR is largely the result of the conflict between Yeltsin and Gorbachev.
Who is more to blame for the collapse of the country: Gorbachev, unable to retain power, or Yeltsin, uncontrollably striving for power?
In a referendum on March 17, 1991, 78% of citizens were in favor of maintaining the renewed union. But did politicians listen to the opinions of the people? No, they were pursuing personal selfish interests.
Gorbachev said one thing and did another, gave orders and pretended that he knew nothing.
For some reason, in Russia, the problems of the country's development have always been a problem of the personal power of a particular ruler. Stalin's terror, Khrushchev's thaw, Brezhnev's stagnation, Gorbachev's perestroika, Yeltsin's collapse...
In Russia, a change in political and economic course is always associated with a change in the personality of the ruler. Is this why terrorists want to overthrow the leader of the state in the hope of changing course?
Tsar Nicholas II would have listened to the advice of smart people, would have shared power, made the monarchy constitutional, would have lived like a Swedish king, and his children would have lived now, and not died in terrible agony at the bottom of a mine.
But history teaches no one. Since the time of Confucius, it has been known that officials need to be examined for positions. And they appoint us. Why? Because what is important is not the official’s professional qualities, but personal loyalty to his superiors. And why? Because the boss is not interested in success, but primarily in maintaining his position.
The main thing for a ruler is to maintain personal power. Because if power is taken away from him, then he won’t be able to do anything. No one has ever voluntarily renounced their privileges or recognized the superiority of others. The ruler cannot simply give up power himself, he is a slave to power!
Churchill compared power to a drug. In fact, power is the maintenance of control and management. Whether it is a monarchy or a democracy is not so important. Democracy and dictatorship are just a way to most effectively achieve the desired goals.
But the question is: democracy for the people or the people for democracy?
Representative democracy is in crisis. But direct democracy is no better.
Management is a complex activity. There will always be those who want and can manage and make decisions (rulers), and those who are happy to be executors.
According to philosopher Boris Mezhuev, “democracy is the organized distrust of the people in power.”
Managed democracy is being replaced by post-democracy.
When they say that the people have made a mistake, it is those who think so who are mistaken. Because only the one who says such things definitely does not know the people about whom he has such an opinion. People are not that stupid in general, and they are not rednecks at all.
In relation to our soldiers and athletes, and all others who fought for the victory of our country and its flag with tears in their eyes, the destruction of the USSR was a real betrayal!
Gorbachev “voluntarily” abdicated power not because the people abandoned the USSR, but because the West abandoned Gorbachev. “The Moor has done his job, the Moor can leave...”
Personally, I support the trial of former political figures: French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Chilean dictator Pinochet and others.
Why is there still no trial of those responsible for the collapse of the USSR?
The people have the right and MUST know who is to blame for the destruction of the country.
It is the ruling elite that is responsible for the collapse of the country!
Recently I was invited to the next meeting of the “Russian Thought” seminar at the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy in St. Petersburg. Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gutorov, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Philosophy, St. Petersburg State University, delivered a report on “The USSR as a Civilization.”
Professor Gutorov V.A. believes that the USSR is the only country where the elite conducted an experiment, destroying its own people. It ended in complete disaster. And we now live in a situation of catastrophe.
Nikolai Berdyaev, when interrogated by F. Dzerzhinsky, said that Russian communism is a punishment to the Russian people for all the sins and abominations that the Russian elite and the renegade Russian intelligentsia have committed over the past decades.
In 1922, Nikolai Berdyaev was expelled from Russia on the so-called “philosophical ship”.
The most conscientious representatives of the Russian elite who found themselves in exile admitted their guilt for the revolution that had taken place.
Does our current “elite” really admit its responsibility for the collapse of the USSR?..
Was the USSR a civilization? Or was it a social experiment on an unprecedented scale?
The signs of civilization are as follows:
1\ The USSR was an empire, and an empire is a sign of civilization.
2\ Civilization is distinguished by a high level of education and a high technical base, which obviously existed in the USSR.
3\ Civilization forms a special psychological type, which develops over about 10 generations. But during 70 years of Soviet power it could not take shape.
4\ One of the signs of civilization is beliefs. The USSR had its own belief in communism.
Even the ancient Greeks noticed a cyclical pattern in the succession of forms of power: aristocracy - democracy - tyranny - aristocracy... For two thousand years, humanity has not been able to come up with anything new.
History knows numerous social experiences of people's democracy. The socialist experiment will inevitably repeat itself. It is already being repeated in China, Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela and other countries.
The USSR was a social experiment of unprecedented scale, but the experiment turned out to be unviable.
The fact is that justice and social equality come into conflict with economic efficiency. Where profit is the main thing, there is no place for justice. But it is inequality and competition that make society efficient.
Once I saw two men, one of whom was digging a hole, and the other was burying the hole after him. I asked what they were doing. And they replied that the third worker, who was planting trees, had not come.
The specificity of our mentality is that we do not see happiness in progress and do not strive for development like a Western person. We are more contemplative. Our national hero Ivanushka the Fool (Oblomov) lies on the stove and dreams of a kingdom. And he gets up only when he has the urge.
We develop from time to time only under the pressure of the vital need for survival.
This is reflected in our Orthodox faith, which evaluates a person not by works, but by faith. Catholicism speaks of personal responsibility for choice and calls for activism. But with us everything is determined by the providence and grace of God, which is incomprehensible.
Russia is not just a territory, it is an Idea! Regardless of the name - USSR, USSR, CIS or Eurasian Union.
The Russian idea is simple: we can only be saved together! Therefore, the revival of great Russia in one form or another is inevitable. In our harsh climatic conditions, what is needed is not competition, but cooperation, not rivalry, but community. And therefore, external conditions will inevitably restore the union form of government.
The USSR as an Idea in one form or another is inevitable. The fact that the communist idea is not utopian and quite realistic is proven by the successes of communist China, which managed to become a superpower, overtaking the idealess Russia.
The ideas of social justice, equality and fraternity are ineradicable. Perhaps they are embedded in the human consciousness as a matrix that periodically tries to come true.
What's wrong with the ideas of freedom, equality and brotherhood, the universal happiness of people, regardless of religion or nationality?
These ideas will never die, they are eternal because they are true. Their truth lies in the fact that they correctly capture the essence of human nature.
Only those ideas are eternal that are in tune with the thoughts and feelings of living people. After all, if they find a response in the souls of millions, it means there is something in these ideas. People cannot be united by one truth, since everyone sees the truth in their own way. Everyone cannot be mistaken at the same time. An idea is true if it reflects the truths of many people. Only such ideas find a place in the recesses of the soul. And whoever guesses what is hidden in the souls of millions will lead them.”
LOVE CREATES NECESSITY!
(from my novel “Stranger Strange Incomprehensible Extraordinary Stranger” on the New Russian Literature website
In your opinion, WHY DID THE USSR DIDN'T?
© Nikolay Kofirin – New Russian Literature –
Exactly twenty years ago, on December 8, 1991, at the Viskuli hunting estate in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the heads of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed an Agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which marked the end of the existence of the USSR. The preamble of the document clearly stated: “The USSR as a subject of international law and a geopolitical reality ceases to exist.” On December 21, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan joined the agreement, signing in Almaty (together with Russia, Ukraine and Belarus) the Declaration on the Goals and Principles of the New Commonwealth (CIS). Thus, the USSR existed for exactly 69 years.Currently, there is no common point of view among historians and political scientists on what was the main reason for the collapse of the once powerful state. A variety of versions have been and are being expressed. Among the reasons most often cited are, for example, a global conspiracy and the betrayal of Gorbachev, a sharp drop in oil prices initiated by the American government, ongoing financial assistance to the countries of the socialist camp during the Cold War, the development of the military-industrial complex to the detriment of other sectors of the economy, centrifugal nationalist tendencies inherent in every multinational country and manifested in the form of interethnic contradictions (events in Transcaucasia, the North Caucasus, the Baltic states, Transnistria, Central Asia...), the authoritarian nature of Soviet society (persecution of the church, persecution of dissidents, forced collectivism, the dominance of one ideology , a ban on communication with foreign countries, censorship, lack of free discussion of alternatives), growing discontent of the population due to constant food shortages, shortages of goods and the extensive nature of the Soviet economy, a number of military-political and man-made disasters (the Afghan war, the Chernobyl accident, the collapse of liner "Admiral Nakhimov", plane crashes), as well as concealment of information about them, etc.
Some people prefer to analyze the main reasons comprehensively, while others focus on a single factor. In particular, Russian ex-Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar was confident that the main reason for the collapse of the USSR was the sharp drop in world oil prices, which destroyed the raw material structure of the Soviet economy. He emphasized: “The date of the collapse of the USSR... it is well known. These, of course, are not the Bialowieza Agreements, these are not the August events, these are September 13, 1985. This is the day Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Yamani said that Saudi Arabia would end its policy of curbing oil production and begin to regain its share of the oil market. After which, over the next 6 months, Saudi Arabia's oil production increased 3.5 times. After which prices collapsed.”
Another former prime minister (but already of the USSR), Nikolai Ryzhkov, connected the collapse of the Soviet Union with the activities of Mikhail Gorbachev. “This is the man who destroyed a great country overnight. And the collapse of the CPSU - I’m not saying that the party was ideal then - is also on his conscience. Either he’s a good artist, or he really doesn’t understand what he’s done.” In general, the factor of Gorbachev’s personal responsibility appears very often when analyzing the causes of the collapse of the Soviet state. Political scientist Sergei Kurginyan notes that Gorbachev was guided primarily by the intention to extract his own benefit from his position in the country, “to surrender the party and the political system, the historical role, the great power and great opportunities to exchange for nonsense ... and receive the Nobel Prize.” Well-known Russian politician, member of the United Russia faction Alexander Khinshtein believes: “Gorbachev bears personal responsibility for what happened to our country. Largely because of the indecision and inconsistency of the Soviet president, because of his lack of a clear plan of action, the collapse of the state occurred. In my opinion, Gorbachev, like Nicholas II in his time, turned out to be unworthy of the historical mission that fell to his lot.” There are also more radical assessments of the activities of the first and last Soviet president.
Proponents of the “conspiracy theory” believe that the collapse of the USSR is the result of the consistent work of bourgeois-minded layers of the Soviet intelligentsia, to whom Gorbachev’s perestroika provided the widest and, most importantly, legal field of activity. Proponents of this approach readily refer to the famous saying of CIA Director Allen Dulles: “By sowing chaos in the Soviet Union, we will quietly replace their values with false ones and make them believe in these values. Literature, cinema, theaters - they will all depict the basest human feelings. We will in every possible way support and raise the so-called artists who will plant and hammer into human consciousness the cult of sex, violence, sadism, betrayal - in a word, all immorality. We will create chaos and confusion in government. We will quietly, but actively and constantly contribute to the tyranny of officials, bribery, and unprincipled behavior. Honesty and decency will be ridiculed and no one will need it, they will turn into a relic of the past... We will vulgarize and destroy the foundations of morality. We will always place our main emphasis on youth. We will begin to corrupt, corrupt, and corrupt her.”
From their point of view, the perestroika proclaimed by Gorbachev had as its main result an ideological restructuring, and the carriers of the new ideological policy were precisely the radically minded representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia, who traditionally adhered to a Western orientation. It was in the mid-80s that this new elite put itself forward as the sole mouthpiece of the masses, with an emphasis on its monopoly right to the platform and mouthpiece, it also altered the nature of certain events and presented to the masses a perverted model of historical development (in particular, the socialist revolution of 1917 .called a coup, while the change of power was by no means the main feature of such a large-scale event, which completely destroyed the traditional way of the hopelessly rotten Russian Empire).
Of course, there are also opponents of the version about the decisive influence of an external factor. In this case, attention is drawn to the fact that the political elite of the USSR, especially from the mid-60s, themselves ceased to believe in the official ideology of the country and turned into bearers of bourgeois values (it is significant that the head of state Leonid Brezhnev collected cars). At the same time, corruption, bribery and patronage became an integral mechanism for resolving issues; they permeated almost all spheres of activity, and the very need for membership in the ranks of the Communist Party was dictated not by ideological considerations, but exclusively by mercantile ones (membership in the party was a career necessity). The most acute contradiction between the official ideology and the bearers of this ideology, which was so anecdotally and clearly manifested at all hierarchical levels (from the Politburo to individual housing maintenance offices) and undermined from the inside - from the point of view of supporters of this approach - the foundations of the Soviet state.
In all likelihood, it is impossible to single out one main reason for the collapse of the USSR. Most versions, even with very different degrees of validity and argumentation, still have the right to exist. However, the approach in any case should be comprehensive. Just as comprehensive should be the assessment of the USSR itself - a country unprecedented in world history, where, along with unprecedented losses, there were also achievements unprecedented in world history.
Eleven years before the collapse of the USSR
On the morning of May 20, 1980, Ronald Reagan (US President) received William Casey (Director of the CIA), who presented Reagan with new information about the state of affairs in the USSR, namely, Casey presented unofficial classified materials about problems in the USSR economy. Reagan loved to read such information on the USSR and in his diary on March 26, 1981, he wrote the following: The USSR is in a very bad situation, if we refrain from loans, they will ask others for help, because otherwise they will starve. Casey personally selected all the information on the USSR, bringing his old dream closer - collapse of the USSR.
On March 26, 1981, W. Casey arrived with a report to Reagan. Casey provided new information about the state of affairs in the USSR:
The USSR is in a very difficult situation, there is an uprising in Poland, the USSR is stuck in Afghanistan, Cuba, Angola and Vietnam. Casey insisted that there was no better time to collapse of the USSR does not exist. Reagan agreed and Casey began preparing his proposals for collapse of the USSR.
Members of the working group leading the collapse of the USSR
Ronald Reagan, William Joseph Casey, George H. W. Bush, Caspar Willard Weinberger
In early 1982, Casey, at a closed meeting in the White House, proposed plan for the collapse of the USSR. For some senior Reagan administration officials, the proposal collapse of the USSR came as a shock. Throughout the 70s, the West and Europe accustomed themselves to the idea that they should not fight with the USSR, but negotiate. The majority believed that there was simply no other way in the era of nuclear weapons. The NSDD plan was aimed in the other direction. On January 30, 1982, at a meeting of the working group, Casey’s plan for launching covert offensive operations against the USSR was adopted; classified as top secret, it was called the “NSDD plan” (directive of the Reagan administration in the matter of US strategy, goals and aspirations in relations with the USSR). The NSDD plan clearly stated that the next goal of the United States was no longer coexistence with the USSR, but a change in the Soviet system. The entire working group recognized the necessary achievement of one goal - collapse of the USSR!
The essence of the NSDD plan for the collapse of the USSR boiled down to the following:
- Secret, financial, intelligence and political assistance to the Polish Solidarity movement. Goal: maintaining the opposition in the center of the USSR.
- Significant financial and military assistance to the Afghan Mujahideen. Goal: the spread of war on the territory of the USSR.
- Secret diplomacy in the countries of Western Europe. Goal: limit the USSR's access to Western technologies.
- Psychological and information warfare. Goal: technical disinformation and destruction of the USSR economy.
- The growth of weapons and maintaining them at a high technological level. Goal: undermining the economy of the USSR and exacerbating the resource crisis.
- Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to reduce world oil prices. Goal: a sharp reduction in the flow of hard currency into the USSR.
CIA Director W. Casey realized that it was useless to fight the USSR; the USSR could only be destroyed economically.
Preparatory stage for the collapse of the USSR
In early April 1981, CIA Director W. Casey went to the Middle East and Europe. Casey had to solve 2 problems: falling oil prices and increasing resistance in Afghanistan. Therefore, Casey visited Egypt (supplier of weapons to the Afghan mujahideen). Here Casey told President Mohammed Anwar al-Sadat (a friend of the CIA) that the weapons that Egypt was supplying to the Afghan Mujahideen were scrap! The USSR could not be defeated with it, and offered financial assistance so that the supply of modern weapons could begin. However, Sadat was not destined to carry out the instructions of the CIA chief, because. 6 months later he was shot dead. But the United States still managed to supply the Afghan Mujahideen with weapons worth $8 billion!!! This is how the Mujahideen acquired the first Stinger air defense system. This is the largest covert operation since World War II.
Next, the CIA chief visited Saudi Arabia. The CIA analytical department calculated that if oil prices on the world market fell by just 1 dollar, the USSR would lose from 500 million to 1 billion dollars a year. In return, Casey promised the sheikh protection from possible revolutions, protection for family members, supplies of weapons, and guaranteed the inviolability of personal deposits in US banks. The sheikh agreed to the proposal, and oil production in Saudi Arabia skyrocketed. So in 1986, the USSR's losses from falling oil prices amounted to $13 billion. Experts already realized then that Gorbachev would not be able to carry out any breakthrough or restructuring. Modernization required 50 billion dollars, which was taken away from the USSR by the NSDD plan.
Casey also managed to persuade the sheikh of the secret participation of Saudi Arabia in the Afghan war and the strengthening of the Afghan Mujahideen by the Saudis. The sheikh's money was used to recruit the modest owner of a construction company, Osama bin Laden (terrorist No. 1 in the world).
After Saudi Arabia, the CIA chief visited Israel. The first points have already begun to work, the next stage of the collapse of the USSR is information and psychological warfare, without which collapse of the USSR it might not have happened. According to Casey, the Israeli intelligence service Mossad was to play a decisive role. Casey suggested that Israel use American spy satellites to obtain information about Iraq's nuclear facilities, as well as materials on Syria. In response, Israel opened part of its residency in the USSR to the CIA. The channels have been established.
The beginning of the implementation of the plan for the collapse of the USSR
The United States decided to carry out economic sabotage against Poland. One of the authors of this plan was Zbigniew Brzezinski. The meaning of this plan was that Western partners supplied enterprises to Poland with the assurance that they would take the products produced at these enterprises in the form of payment, and after the launch of the enterprise they refused to take the products. Thus, sales of products were slowed down, and the amount of Polish foreign currency debt went up. After this sabotage, Poland was in large debts; cards for goods began to be introduced in Poland (cards were even introduced for diapers and hygiene products). After this, workers' strikes began; the Poles wanted to eat. The burden of the Polish crisis fell on the economy of the USSR; Poland was provided with financial assistance in the amount of $10 billion, but Poland's debt remained in the amount of $12 billion. Thus began a revolution in one of the socialist countries.
The US administration was confident that the outbreak of a revolutionary fire in one of the USSR countries would lead to destabilization throughout the USSR. The Kremlin leadership, in turn, understood where the wind of change was blowing, intelligence reported that Polish revolutionaries were receiving financial assistance from Western countries (1.7 thousand newspapers and magazines, 10 thousand books and brochures were published underground, underground printing houses operated), on the radio “ Voice of America" and "Free Europe" Polish revolutionaries received hidden orders about when and where to strike. Moscow has repeatedly pointed out the danger coming from abroad and has begun to prepare for intervention. CIA intelligence decided to counter Moscow with the following trump card: Casey flies to Rome, where a key figure with influence on the Poles was located - this was the Pole Karol Jozef Wojtyla, after his enthronement - John Paul II (Primate of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005). The CIA remembered well how the Poles greeted John Paul II when he returned to his homeland. Then millions of excited Poles met their compatriot. After meeting Casey, he begins to actively support the Polish resistance and personally met with resistance leader Lech Walesa. The Catholic Church begins to financially support the resistance (distributes humanitarian aid received from Western charitable foundations) and provides shelters for oppositionists.
Report of the Director of the CIA on the collapse of the USSR
In February 1982, at a meeting in the oval office of the White House, the CIA director again reported on the work done. The loss of tens of millions of dollars, the tense situation in Poland, the protracted war in Afghanistan, instability in the socialist camp, all this led to the emptying of the USSR treasury. Casey also said that the USSR is trying to replenish the treasury with Siberian gas supplied to Europe - this is the Urengoy-6 project. This project was supposed to provide the USSR with colossal funds. In addition, Europe was very interested in the construction of this gas pipeline.
The failure of the Urengoy-6 project as one of the reasons for the collapse of the USSR
The Soviet Union was supposed to lay a gas pipeline from Siberia to the borders of Czechoslovakia, but imported pipes were required for the installation. It was then that the US administration imposed a ban on the supply of oil equipment to the USSR. But Europe, which was interested in gas, and which, by agreement with the USSR, had a significant 25-year discount on gas, secretly (the government secretly supported smuggled suppliers) continued to supply the necessary equipment to the USSR. The US administration sent its own man to Europe, who campaigned for Europe for American coal, natural gas from the North Sea, and also for synthetic fuels. But Europe, feeling the benefits of cooperation with the USSR, continued to secretly help the USSR build a gas pipeline. Then Reagan again ordered the CIA to deal with this problem. In 1982, the CIA developed an operation according to which gas equipment was supplied to the USSR through a long chain of intermediaries, the software of which was deliberately introduced with errors. These errors were exploited after installation, resulting in large explosions on highways. As a result of these sabotages, Urengoy-6 was never completed, and the USSR again suffered losses in the amount of 1 trillion. dollars. This became one of the reasons for the bankruptcy and collapse of the USSR.
Another secret operation to collapse the USSR
On March 23, 1983, Reagan proposed deploying a system that would destroy enemy nuclear missiles in space. The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or “Star Wars” program was the creation of a large-scale missile defense system with space-based elements. According to this program, the United States was supposed to launch satellites with laser weapons into geostationary orbits, which would constantly be located above the base of nuclear missiles and at the time of their launch could shoot them down. The US administration, with the help of this program, intimidated the USSR and continued to deplete the USSR economy. The United States was led to believe that one day all Soviet missiles would become a pile of unnecessary metal. Soviet scientists began to study SDI and came to the conclusion that for laser weapons to work, powerful energy pumping was needed, and in order to hit a flying missile, the diameter of the laser beam had to be the size of a pinhead, and according to scientists’ calculations, the diameter of the missile’s laser beam turned into a circle of light diameter 100 sq. meters. Scientists have proven that SDI is a bluff! But the Soviet Union continued to devote too much effort and time to SDI, and the United States acted from a position of strength in the missile defense negotiations with the USSR.
Gorbachev also tried to somehow raise the economy of the USSR, he was counting on high oil prices, but oil prices fell from 35 to 10 dollars per barrel. Instead of improvement, Soviet citizens felt deterioration, store shelves became empty, and soon, as during the Second World War, cards appeared. The collapse of the USSR has entered its final stage.
http://www.russlav.ru/aktualno/raspad-sssr.html
| I am not authorized to speak for everyone, because, quite possibly, someone in the USSR lacked bandits, prostitutes, executioner cops, unemployment, corrupt officials, terrorist attacks, inflation, ethnic conflicts, refugees, paid education and paid medicine, stupid TV series and mediocre pop music on TV, drug addiction, pedophiles, Ksyusha Sobchak, Courchevel for some and garbage dumps... [See the continuation of the text after the photo report. - ed.]. ... because the USSR was not a glamorous country  This is not a circle of modellers and designers! These are Soviet children training on models to attack skyscrapers in America.  On September 1, a terrible disaster came to the home of every Soviet person. Trouble said: “Study, study and study!”
|
On August 18, 2010, A. Kommari wrote and posted on the Internet on his blog an open letter to Soviet communists.
I present it in full. And I also subscribe to every word of this letter!
Dear Soviet communists!
I am not authorized to speak for everyone, because, quite possibly, someone in the USSR lacked bandits, prostitutes, executioner cops, unemployment, corrupt officials, terrorist attacks, inflation, ethnic conflicts, refugees, paid education and paid medicine, stupid TV series and mediocre pop music on TV, drug addiction, pedophiles, Ksyusha Sobchak, Courchevel for some and garbage dumps for others, defaults and economic crises, monetization of conscience and capitalization of humanity.
I can only speak for myself. Because personally, I didn’t need all of the above at all.
Between you and me, not everything worked out well for you, but some things worked out well..., it didn’t work out at all, but, looking at what happened after you left, I no longer have any complaints about you. I officially declare that I am taking off all of them that I had then. Because all the bad things that happened with you have remained with us, they have only increased and grown many times over. And even your muttering “our dear Leonid Ilyich” is now dearer to me than the cheerful Dmitry Anatolyevich - because the first fought, raised virgin soil and built cities, factories and BAM, and the second ate a hamburger and got an iPhone on the ball. He also has all the Deep Purple records. That, in fact, is all he did in his life - and for the life of me, I don’t understand why he rules the Russian people. And the CPSU, despite the fact that there is little left of Lenin’s party in it, seems to be some kind of Areopagus of sages and highly moral personalities - if you look at the “current ones” (yes, and maybe I won’t talk about “Ours” and about the “Young guard"? because other than swearing about them I am not able to write anything at all). Unfortunately, everything that I wrote about in the first lines of my letter to you has been added.
But the good things that were with you are no longer there and never will be.
So thank you for being there. For the smile of Yuri Gagarin, for the red flag over Berlin, for the Soviet Army, equipped with first-class tanks and aircraft, for the confidence that no one will ever attack my country, because they will get it in such a way that it won’t seem a little, for nuclear icebreakers, for that they preserved the great Russian classical culture - and the culture of other peoples of the Union - from vulgarity and the laws of the market, for science, for observatories, for synchrophasotrons, for the magazine “Astronomical Calendar of a Schoolchild” at the cost of five kopecks and the magazine “Kvant” at the price of ten kopecks, which my not very rich mother prescribed, for the mountains of the North Caucasus, on which you could relax and ski without fear of getting a bullet from a bearded fanatic, for the free radio circle in which I assembled my first transistor radio, for the doctors who made surgery on the eyes of my little daughter, for being proud of the vastness of the country in which you live, for the fact that we were all our own - Russians, Ukrainians, Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Jews, Chukchi and 150 other different peoples and nationalities, for an awesome sense of equality between people - a thing that simply cannot be understood by those who did not live then.
And most importantly, for the fact that, no matter how we messed up at times, we built the best and most humane system in history. If not for ourselves, then for our children. But not only for ours, by the way.
Everything became bad without you, dear Soviet communists, very bad. And, most importantly, it will obviously be even worse. It was this year that showed that when everything is covered, problems will begin in earnest - the authorities will run away. Like rats. Because they have somewhere to run. That our country is actually not intended for the common man to live in. Albeit modestly. As in front of you.
That's all I would like to convey to you, comrades Soviet communists. Wherever you are, I hope you can hear me.
Sincerely,
Alexander Kommari, 1/260 millionth of the former Soviet people."
http://www.za-nauku.ru//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5033&Itemid=41
Piercing pain Belovezhya
Today, December 8, is a gloomy day in all respects. On this day in 1991, the Soviet Union disappeared. In Belarusian Viskuly, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, presidents Boris Yeltsin (RSFSR), Leonid Kravchuk (Ukraine) and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Belarusian SSR Stanislav Shushkevich signed the Belovezhskaya Agreement, liquidating the great country with the stroke of a pen.THREE LEADERS signed the death warrant for the future, for which several generations of Soviet people fought for more than seven decades: on the civilian fronts, during the years of collectivization and industrialization, during the Great Patriotic War and in the subsequent years of restoration, construction, creation, and space exploration. Difficult, maybe not as much as others wanted, but development nonetheless.
The heroes of the act of signing, at any opportunity, remembered and remember those events, without hiding their pleasure. Is it possible that Shushkevich is annoyed by the reproaches that in Viskuli “everyone was dead drunk, and the agreement was the result of a dead drunk.” It turns out, no, as he claims - not dead. Drank in moderation. And there were toasts. Having killed the country, they drank to each other's health. Between toasts, not forgetting to first inform the head of the United States about what he had done. To this day, defenders of Belovezhiya claim that the USSR was terminally ill and collapsed on its own, since the economic system chosen by the Stalinist All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) turned out to be untenable.
AND TODAY they are trying to convince US that the market model is much more effective. Just yesterday, talking about the fate of the Ukrainian army, we asked what efficiency of the modern economy can be judged by a simple comparison? If the Soviet “inefficient” national economic complex had enough strength to create a powerful defensive shield using the latest science and technology and maintain it in proper condition, then with a “super-efficient” market economy we are not able to maintain a tenfold reduced army. There is no longer any question of replenishing it with samples of the latest technology.
Those who were directly involved in the destruction of the USSR are trying to lead people away from the truth and accurate assessments, to silence the true reasons and embellish the role of traitors to the Motherland. The plan for the collapse of the Soviet Union began to be implemented by Western countries led by the United States immediately after World War II, when it finally became clear to the imperialists that it was impossible to defeat the USSR with the help of military force and direct aggression. And it is quite possible to destroy it from within with the help of traitors and unwitting accomplices. After the collapse, gradually dismember the Union into small components and destroy them one by one, taking over the territories richest in their resources.
ALL THIS HAPPENED before our eyes. The tragedy of the USSR is not only that in the last years of its existence spiritual degenerates like Gorbachev, Yakovlev, Shevardnadze came to power in the country and the party. The “liquidation” of the USSR, the betrayal of millions of citizens who died in the Great Patriotic War, all who developed its economy, military and scientific power, created global political influence, great culture, became possible with the “help” of ordinary Soviet citizens, who also betrayed the country with their indifference . Everyone is guilty who did not stand up to defend their Motherland, as our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers did in 1941-43. There was also nowhere to retreat in 1991. But they retreated.
Today, three-quarters of Russians and most Ukrainians and Belarusians regret the Soviet Union. After all, only now has it become clear that, in general, for everything we have lost we have to pay the same terrible price as during the Great Patriotic War. Commensurable both in human sacrifices, and in moral and material aspects.
REFLECTING ABOUT today, you involuntarily come to the conclusion: that in order to move forward, you need to go back.
http://rg.kiev.ua/page5/article19951/
December 26, 1991 is the official date of the collapse of the USSR. A day earlier, President Gorbachev announced that, for “reasons of principle,” he was resigning from his post. On December 26, the Supreme USSR adopted a declaration on the collapse of the state.
The collapsed Union included 15 Soviet Socialist Republics. The Russian Federation became the legal successor of the USSR. Russia declared sovereignty on June 12, 1990. Exactly a year and a half later, the country's leaders announced secession from the USSR. Legal "independence" December 26, 1991.
The Baltic republics were the first to declare their sovereignty and independence. Already on 16 1988, the Estonian SSR declared its sovereignty. A few months later in 1989, the Lithuanian SSR and the Latvian SSR also declared sovereignty. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania even received legal independence somewhat earlier than the official collapse of the USSR - on September 6, 1991.
On December 8, 1991, the Union of Independent States was created. In fact, this organization failed to become a real Union, and the CIS turned into a formal meeting of the leaders of the participating states.
Among the Transcaucasian republics, Georgia wanted to secede from the Union the fastest. The independence of the Georgian Republic was declared on April 9, 1991. The Republic of Azerbaijan declared independence on August 30, 1991, and the Republic of Armenia on September 21, 1991.
From August 24 to October 27, Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan declared their withdrawal from the Union. Besides Russia, Belarus (left the Union on December 8, 1991) and Kazakhstan (withdrew from the USSR on December 16, 1991) took the longest to declare their secession from the USSR.
Failed attempts at independence
Some Autonomous Regions and Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics also previously tried to secede from the USSR and declare independence. They eventually succeeded, albeit together with the republics that these autonomies were part of.
On January 19, 1991, the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Azerbaijan SSR, tried to secede from the Union. After some time, the Nakhichevan Republic, as part of Azerbaijan, managed to leave the USSR.
Currently, a new union is being formed in the post-Soviet space. The unsuccessful project of the Union of Independent States is being replaced by integration in a new format - the Eurasian Union.
Tatarstan and Checheno-Ingushetia, which had previously tried to leave the USSR on their own, left the Soviet Union as part of the Russian Federation. The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic also failed to gain independence and left the USSR only together with Ukraine.
The collapse of the Soviet Union was a significant event for the whole world. With the disappearance of the USSR, the confrontation between the two superpowers, which affected almost the entire rest of the world, ended. Because of the enormous significance of this event, it is important to understand the reasons and course of the division of the USSR into independent states.
Prerequisites for the collapse of the USSR
The collapse of the USSR was associated with a complex of political and economic problems. From a political point of view, the problem of independence in the allied countries had been brewing for a long time. Formally, all republics of the union had the right to self-determination, but this was not observed in practice. Although the country pursued a policy of internationalism, the weakening of the central government during perestroika led to an increase in the popularity of nationalist sentiments.
Residents of small republics pinned their hopes for the future not only on reforms, but also on independence. This was especially true for the Baltic countries. Another political component was the desire of local elites to gain more power and influence, which was only possible in an independent state.
There were also economic reasons. As perestroika progressed, the economic insolvency of the latter became increasingly obvious. The shortage began to become more and more widespread: in 1989, a card system for some essential products was introduced even in Moscow.
In 1990-1991, a crisis of power was added to these problems - it became increasingly difficult to collect financial revenues from the outskirts of the state, they increasingly switched to self-sufficiency. Thus, for a significant part of the population, one of the ways out of the economic crisis was the separation of the republics from the RSFSR.
A number of experts believe that one of the reasons for the crisis of the Soviet economy was the sharp decline in oil prices.
The process of division of the USSR
The Soviet Union began to disintegrate even before the official declaration of independence of the republics. First of all, the crisis was expressed in interethnic clashes. In 1986, the first major conflict in Kazakhstan. In 1988, a crisis began in Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended in war. Ethnic conflicts also arose in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Ethnic conflicts in some former republics continued after the collapse of the USSR.
After liberal elections in 1990, supporters of self-determination came to power in many republics. Georgia and Lithuania were the first to declare their sovereignty. The remaining Baltic republics, as well as Moldova and Armenia, expressed their reluctance to join the renewed union of states that the government envisioned.
The legal disintegration of the USSR began in September 1991 - Western countries recognized the independence of the Baltic states. The USSR finally - the union republics became independent states, and the RSFSR became the legal successor of the USSR.
The collapse of the USSR is one of the most important events of the 20th century. Until now, the meaning and reasons for the collapse of the Union cause heated discussions and various kinds of disputes among both political scientists and ordinary people.
Reasons for the collapse of the USSR
Initially, the highest officials of the largest state in the world planned to preserve the Soviet Union. To do this, they had to take timely measures to reform it, but in the end it happened. There are various versions that convey the possible reasons in sufficient detail. For example, researchers believe that initially, when the state was created, it should have become entirely federal, but over time the USSR turned into a state and this gave rise to a series of inter-republican problems that were not given due attention.
During the years of perestroika, the situation became quite tense and became extremely violent. Meanwhile, the contradictory ones became increasingly widespread, economic difficulties became insurmountable, and it became completely clear that the collapse. It is also worth noting that in those days the most important role in the life of the state was played by the Communist Party, which in some sense was even a more significant bearer of power than the state itself. It was precisely what happened in the Communist system of the state that became one of the reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed.
The Soviet Union collapsed and ceased to exist at the end of December 1991. The consequences of the collapse took on an economic nature, because it caused the collapse of a large number of established connections that were established between economic entities, and also led to the minimum value of production and its production. At the same time, access to foreign markets ceased to have a guaranteed status. The territory of the collapsed state also decreased significantly, and the problems associated with the insufficient development of infrastructure became more noticeable.
The collapse of the Soviet Union affected not only economic relations and states, but also had political consequences. Russia's political potential and influence decreased significantly, and a problem arose concerning small segments of the population who at that time lived in territory that did not belong to their homelands. This is only a small part of the negative consequences that befell Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
For a long time, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was, along with the United States of America, one of the two superpowers. In many important economic indicators, it ranked second in the world, second only to the United States, and in some cases even surpassed them.
The USSR achieved enormous success in the space program, in mining, and in the development of remote areas of Siberia and the Far North. Its collapse occurred very unexpectedly in December 1991. For the same reasons this happened?
The main socio-ideological reasons for the collapse of the USSR
The USSR included 15 national republics, which were very different in all respects, industry and agriculture, ethnicity, languages, religion, mentality, etc. Such a heterogeneous composition was fraught with a time bomb. To unite, consisting of such different parts, a common ideology was used - Marxism-Leninism, which declared its goal to build a classless society of “abundance”.
However, everyday reality, especially since the second half of the 70s of the last century, was very different from program slogans. It was especially difficult to combine the idea of future “abundance” with commodity shortages.
As a result, the overwhelming majority of residents of the USSR stopped believing in ideological cliches.
The natural consequence of this was apathy, indifference, disbelief in the words of the country's leaders, as well as the growth of nationalist sentiments in the union republics. Gradually, more and more people began to come to the conclusion that they could continue to live like this.
The main military-political reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed
The USSR actually had to bear the gigantic burden of military expenses alone in order to maintain the balance of the Warsaw Pact it headed with the NATO bloc, since its allies were immeasurably weaker economically.
As military equipment became more complex and expensive, such costs became increasingly difficult to bear.
The war in Afghanistan (1979-1989) was a very heavy blow to the USSR. In addition, it suffered great socio-political damage. Finally, a significant drop in oil prices played a role, the sale of which brought the USSR most of its foreign exchange earnings.
The new leadership of the USSR, headed by M.S. Gorbachev, in 1985, proclaimed the policy of so-called perestroika, which initially aroused great and genuine enthusiasm. However, perestroika was carried out very ineptly and inconsistently, which only exacerbated many problems. And with the emergence of national conflicts, very fierce and bloody in various republics, the collapse of the USSR became a foregone conclusion.
Video on the topic
“The indestructible union of free republics,” began the anthem of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. For decades, citizens of the largest state on the globe sincerely believed that the Union was eternal, and no one could even imagine the possibility of its collapse.
The first doubts about the inviolability of the USSR appeared in the mid-80s. 20th century. In 1986, a protest demonstration took place in Kazakhstan. The reason was the appointment to the post of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic of a person who had nothing to do with Kazakhstan.
In 1988 there followed a conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, in 1989 - clashes between Abkhazians and Georgians in Sukhumi, a conflict between Meskhetian Turks and Uzbeks in the Fergana region. The country, which until now was in the eyes of its inhabitants “a family of fraternal peoples,” is turning into an arena of interethnic conflicts.
To a certain extent, this was facilitated by the crisis that hit the Soviet economy. For ordinary citizens, this meant a shortage of goods, including food.
Parade of sovereignties
In 1990, competitive elections were held for the first time in the USSR. In republican parliaments, nationalists dissatisfied with the central government gain an advantage. The result was events that went down in history as the “Parade of Sovereignties”: the authorities of many republics began to challenge the priority of all-Union laws and established control over the republican economies to the detriment of the all-Union one. In the conditions of the USSR, where each republic was a “workshop,” the collapse of economic ties between the republics aggravates the crisis.
The first union republic to declare its secession from the USSR was Lithuania, this happened in March 1990. Only Iceland recognized the independence of Lithuania, the Soviet government tried to influence Lithuania through an economic blockade, and in 1991 used military force. As a result, 13 people died and dozens of people were injured. The reaction of the international community forced a stop to the use of force.
Subsequently, five more republics declared their independence: Georgia, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia and Moldova, and on June 12, 1990, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR was adopted.
Union Treaty
The Soviet leadership seeks to preserve the disintegrating state. In 1991, a referendum was held on the preservation of the USSR. It was not carried out in the republics that had already declared their independence, but in the rest of the USSR the majority of citizens were in favor of preserving it.
A draft union treaty is being prepared, which was supposed to transform the USSR into a Union of Sovereign States, in the form of a decentralized federation. The signing of the agreement was planned on August 20, 1991, but was thwarted as a result of a coup attempt undertaken by a group of politicians from the inner circle of Soviet President M. Gorbachev.
Bialowieza Agreement
In December 1991, a meeting took place in Belovezhskaya Pushcha (Belarus), in which the leaders of only three union republics - Russia, Belarus and Ukraine - took part. It was planned to sign a union treaty, but instead the politicians stated the cessation of the existence of the USSR and signed an agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It was not or even a confederation, but an international organization. The Soviet Union as a state ceased to exist. The liquidation of his power structures after that was a matter of time.
The Russian Federation became the successor of the USSR in the international arena.
Sources:
- Collapse of the USSR
Tip 6: Moldovan group Ozon: history of creation, composition and reason for collapse
O-Zone is a Moldovan pop group that has made a splash all over the world with such hits as Dragostea Din Tei, Despre Tine and many others. The team, consisting of three members, existed from 1999 to 2005.
History of the group
The O-Zone group was founded in 1999 by Dan Balan and Petru Zhelikhovsky, members of the Moldovan rock band Inferialis. They explained the choice of the name by the fact that ozone is a substance that makes the air clean and fresh, and their music should have an equally positive effect on listeners. Additionally, the number "0" is used to represent Moldova on mobile networks.
The first album "Dar, unde eşti", consisting of 11 compositions, was released the same year and won considerable success in its homeland. After this, Dan Balan decided to take the group to a whole new level and make it popular in Europe and beyond. Petru, who did not share his partner’s ambitions, refused to participate in the further fate of the team, and in 2001 a casting took place for his place. It turned out to be difficult to choose just one candidate, and in the end the final composition of O-Zone included:
- Dan Balan;
- Arseniy Todirash;
- Radu Sirbu.
In 2002, the trio released the album "Number 1", which made the group incredibly popular in Romania and even abroad. Listeners especially liked the single "Despre Tine". A year later, the Romanian artists released their third and final album, "DiscO-Zone", which held a leading position in sales throughout Europe for several years in a row.
The single "Dragostea Din Tei" brought the group maximum fame and worldwide success. The composition with the memorable phrase “nu mă, nu mă iei” held a leading position in the charts for a long time and is still associated with the group. Compositions such as:
- "Numai Tu";
- "De Ce Plang Chitarele";
- "Crede-Ma".
At the beginning of 2005, Dan decides to go solo and refuses to renew his contract with Arseniy and Radu. The group broke up, but unexpectedly revived in 2017, giving concerts in Bucharest and Chisinau. The future of the group remains unknown as the members continue to focus on solo work.
Biography of Dan Balan
The founder of O-Zone was born on February 6, 1979 in Chisinau. At the age of 11 he began to become interested in music and subsequently graduated from music school. After school, he entered the Faculty of Law and during his university years founded the band Inferialis, which played gothic-doom metal. This played a decisive role in his fate, and Dan dropped out of school, deciding to devote his life entirely to music.
Thanks to the full-length album “Dar, unde eşti” and constant concerts, Inferialis’s popularity in Moldova grew, but Dan realized that to go beyond the borders of his country he would have to change direction in music and create a full-fledged “boy band”. In 2001, he met Arseniy Todiras and Radu Sarbu and created the O-Zone group.
After O-Zone disbanded in 2005, Dan moved to Los Angeles and began recording a solo rock album under the name Crazy Loop. The album "The Power of Shower" was released in 2007, and in 2009 the next album called "Crazy Loop Mix" was released. Experiments with electronic and rock sounds did not bring the artist the desired result, and he began a solo pop career. From 2010 to 2018, he released many solo compositions (including in Russian), which became worldwide and European hits. Among them:
- "Chica Bomb";
- "Justify Sex";
- "Petals of tears";
- "Freedom";
- "Only until the morning";
- "Love."
Biography of Arseniy Todirash
The second member of the O-Zone team was born on July 22, 1983 in Chisinau. Since childhood, he was fond of singing, and at the age of 15 he began composing music. He performed with his compositions at school concerts, and later on the big stage of Moldova, becoming a member of the Moldovan folk group Stejareii. In 2001, Arseniy entered the Chisinau Conservatory, where he studied piano and singing in depth.
At the age of 18, Arseniy took part in the casting for the role of a member of the Moldovan group O-Zone. Despite little experience in professional singing, he managed to win over Dan Balan. Radu Sarbu became a competitor in the casting, but Balan decided to give both candidates a chance. The group has become the embodiment of the ideal “boy band”: young and beautiful in appearance members, talented in performing songs and collective dances.
After the release of the single "Dragostea Din Tei" and its video, the group and each of its members gained enormous popularity. CDs sell millions of copies, and the song is covered in 12 different languages. In 2005, the group received many offers to hold concerts around the world. Arseniy Todiras and Radu Sirbu expressed their readiness to organize them, but disagreements arose between them and Dan Balan, mainly regarding the amount of fees. The founder of the group refused to renew the contract with his partners, and the team broke up at the peak of its popularity.
In 2005, Arseny created the solo project Arsenium and released the single “Love me… Love me”, and a year later his own album “The 33rd Element” was released. In 2008, the artist released the single "Rumadai", which became a real European hit. In 2014, the artist teamed up with Russian pop singer Sati Kazanova, recording the song “Before Dawn,” which also became very successful and received wide rotation on European radio stations, and the video posted on YouTube has several tens of millions of views.
Biography of Radu Sarbu
The third member of the O-Zone group was born on December 14, 1978 in the village of Peresechina, Moldavian SSR. At the age of 16, he began to get involved in music, writing songs and playing the guitar. In high school, he worked as a DJ at discos and later, with the support of his parents, opened the children's creative studio Artshow, which staged musical performances. Radu himself was the director, sound engineer and soloist.
After graduating from school, Sirbu entered the Chisinau Music Conservatory, studying at the faculty of vocal art and music pedagogy. His specialization was academic singing. During this period, he became a member of an indie rock band and began teaching vocals to young performers at the House of Children's Creativity. In 2001, Radu took part in the qualifying competition for the O-Zone group and was eventually chosen as the second soloist in the group. After the trio disbanded in 2005, Radu Sarbu focused on solo work, releasing the albums "Alone" and "Heartbeat", which were warmly received in Europe.
On December 26, 1991, the Council of Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a declaration on the cessation of the existence of the USSR and the formation of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). This effectively meant that the 15 former republics of the USSR, which previously formed a single multinational state, now became separate countries.
Before the collapse in 1991, the USSR included the following Soviet socialist republics (SSR): Russian SFSR, Byelorussian SSR, Ukrainian SSR, Estonian SSR, Azerbaijan SSR, Armenian SSR, Georgian SSR, Kazakh SSR, Kirghiz SSR, Uzbek SSR, Turkmen SSR, Tajik USSR, Moldavian SSR, Latvian SSR and Lithuanian SSR.
Accordingly, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the following independent states emerged: the Russian Federation (Russia), the Republic of Belarus, Ukraine, the Estonian Republic (Estonia), the Azerbaijan Republic (Azerbaijan), the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan), the Republic Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan), Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Moldova (Moldova), Republic of Latvia (Latvia), Republic of Lithuania (Lithuania).
Related questions and problems
The status of the new 15 independent states was recognized by the world community, and they were represented at the UN. The newly independent states introduced their own citizenship on their territory, and Soviet passports were replaced with national ones.
The Russian Federation became the legal successor and successor state of the USSR. It adopted many aspects of its international legal status from the USSR. The Kaliningrad region became part of Russia, while being territorially cut off from the main part of the Russian Federation by Belarusian and Lithuanian lands.
As a result of the collapse of the USSR, the problem of unclear borders between a number of former Soviet republics arose; countries also began to make territorial claims against each other. Border delimitation was more or less completed only in the mid-2000s.
In the post-Soviet space, to maintain and strengthen relations between the former union republics, the CIS was formed, which included Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia. Later, in 2005, Turkmenistan left the CIS, and Georgia left in 2009.
The last legal act adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the declaration of the termination of the existence of the USSR; this event occurred on December 26, 1991. This date can be considered a point in the history of the collapse of the USSR.
Long-term reforms aimed at restoring the economy had no results, as a result of which they were completely stopped, which led to the complete destruction of the entire economic, and after it, the political system of the USSR.
The standard of living of most of the population in the first years after the collapse of the USSR (and the economic reforms that followed) deteriorated sharply, which still evokes negative memories among certain groups of residents.
The actual cause of the final collapse of the economic system of the USSR is considered to be the fall in oil prices, which occurred not without the participation of the United States. On September 13, 1985, Saudi Arabia announced its restoration in the oil market and the beginning of active oil production, which was followed by a sharp drop in world prices and the collapse of the USSR economy.
Video on the topic
There are a number of reasons for the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, both objective and subjective. An unbiased study of the totality of these reasons shows that the collapse of such an entity as the USSR was inevitable. Almost from the day of its official founding, the USSR was doomed.
Instructions
By 1991 - the year of official collapse - the USSR approached with indicators of complete degradation and decline in all main areas: economic, ideological, military, infrastructural and managerial.
Ideology. Over 70 years of rule on one sixth of the land, communist ideology has exhausted itself and completely discredited the main – initially stillborn – Marxist-Leninist teaching.
A crisis of the genre has matured in society: civil society was not only not formed, but destroyed in principle by ten years of efforts of the CPSU and the KGB. Any manifestations of it were destroyed at the rudimentary level.
Every year, partly due to economic degradation, in some republics interethnic contradictions worsened, which were suppressed by the authorities. Many representatives of national communities became dissidents, were harshly persecuted or served prison terms, such as: Mustafa Dzhemilev, Paruyr Hayrikyan, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Abulfaz Elchibey, Andranik Margaryan.
The violation of basic civil rights and freedoms in the USSR was the main rule of existence: a ban on traveling abroad, a ban on freedom of religion, censorship, oppression of the so-called “guilty peoples”: Chechens, Jews, Meskhetians. The KGB always paid special attention to immigrants from Western Ukraine and the Baltic republics.
Economic + military reasons: starting from the early 50s, the USSR not only got involved in an arms race, it imposed it on the world. And, if at the very beginning of the 50s, thanks to an engineering breakthrough in
At the current stage of development of the Russian Federation and neighboring states, which are successors of the former USSR, there are many political, economic and cultural problems. Their solution is impossible without a thorough analysis of the events associated with the process of collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This article contains clear and structured information about the collapse of the USSR, as well as an analysis of events and personalities directly related to this process.
Brief background
The years of the USSR are a story of victories and defeats, economic rise and fall. It is known that the Soviet Union as a state was formed in 1922. After this, as a result of many political and military events, its territory increased. The peoples and republics that were part of the USSR had the right to voluntarily secede from it. Repeatedly, the country's ideology emphasized the fact that the Soviet state is a family of friendly peoples.
Regarding the leadership of such a huge country, it is not difficult to predict that it was centralized. The main body of government was the CPSU party. And the leaders of republican governments were appointed by the central Moscow leadership. The main legislative act regulating the legal situation in the country was the Constitution of the USSR.
Reasons for the collapse of the USSR
Many powerful countries are going through difficult times in their development. Speaking about the collapse of the USSR, it should be noted that 1991 was a very difficult and contradictory year in the history of our state. What contributed to this? There are a huge number of reasons that led to the collapse of the USSR. Let's try to dwell on the main ones:
- authoritarianism of government and society in the state, persecution of dissidents;
- nationalist tendencies in the union republics, the presence of interethnic conflicts in the country;
- one state ideology, censorship, ban on any political alternative;
- economic crisis of the Soviet production system (extensive method);
- international fall in oil prices;
- a number of unsuccessful attempts to reform the Soviet system;
- colossal centralization of government bodies;
- military failure in Afghanistan (1989).
These, of course, are not all the reasons for the collapse of the USSR, but they can rightfully be considered fundamental.
The collapse of the USSR: the general course of events
With the appointment of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to the post of General Secretary of the CPSU in 1985, the policy of perestroika began, which was associated with sharp criticism of the previous government system, the disclosure of KGB archival documents and the liberalization of public life. But the situation in the country not only did not change, but also worsened. The people became more active politically, and the formation of many organizations and movements, sometimes nationalistic and radical, began. M. S. Gorbachev, President of the USSR, repeatedly came into conflict with the future leader of the country, B. Yeltsin, over the withdrawal of the RSFSR from the Union.
National crisis
The collapse of the USSR occurred gradually in all sectors of society. The crisis has come, both economically and foreign policy, and even demographically. This was officially announced in 1989.
In the year of the collapse of the USSR, the eternal problem of Soviet society - a commodity shortage - became apparent. Even essential products are disappearing from store shelves.
Softness in the country's foreign policy results in the fall of regimes loyal to the USSR in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Romania. New national states are being formed there.
It was also quite turbulent within the country itself. Mass demonstrations begin in the union republics (demonstration in Almaty, the Karabakh conflict, unrest in the Fergana Valley).
There are also rallies in Moscow and Leningrad. The crisis in the country plays into the hands of the radical democrats, led by Boris Yeltsin. They are gaining popularity among the dissatisfied masses.
Parade of sovereignties
In early February 1990, the Party's Central Committee announced the annulment of its dominance in power. Democratic elections were held in the RSFSR and the Union republics, in which radical political forces in the form of liberals and nationalists won.
In 1990 and early 1991, a wave of protests swept across the Soviet Union, which historians later called the “parade of sovereignties.” During this period, many of the union republics adopted Declarations of Sovereignty, which meant the supremacy of republican law over the all-Union law.
The first territory that dared to leave the USSR was the Nakhichevan Republic. This happened back in January 1990. It was followed by: Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Lithuania and Armenia. Over time, all allied states will issue Declarations of their independence (after the GKChP putsch), and the USSR will finally collapse.
The last president of the USSR
The central role in the process of the collapse of the Soviet Union was played by the last president of this state, M. S. Gorbachev. The collapse of the USSR took place against the backdrop of Mikhail Sergeevich’s desperate efforts to reform Soviet society and the system.
M. S. Gorbachev was from the Stavropol Territory (the village of Privolnoye). The statesman was born in 1931 into a very simple family. After graduating from high school, he continued his studies at the Faculty of Law of Moscow State University, where he headed the Komsomol organization. There he met his future wife, Raisa Titarenko.
During his student years, Gorbachev was involved in active political activities, joined the ranks of the CPSU and already in 1955 he took the position of secretary of the Stavropol Komsomol. Gorbachev moved up the career ladder of a civil servant quickly and confidently.
Rise to power
Mikhail Sergeevich came to power in 1985, after the so-called “era of deaths of general secretaries” (three leaders of the USSR died in three years). It should be noted that the title “President of the USSR” (introduced in 1990) was only borne by Gorbachev; all previous leaders were called General Secretaries. The reign of Mikhail Sergeevich was characterized by thorough political reforms, which were often not particularly thought out and radical.
Attempts at reform
Such socio-political transformations include: prohibition, the introduction of self-financing, money exchange, the policy of openness, acceleration.
For the most part, society did not appreciate the reforms and had a negative attitude towards them. And there was little benefit to the state from such radical actions.
In his foreign policy, M. S. Gorbachev adhered to the so-called “policy of new thinking,” which contributed to the detente of international relations and the end of the “arms race.” For this position, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize. But the USSR at that time was in a terrible situation.
August putsch
Of course, attempts to reform Soviet society, and ultimately completely destroy the USSR, were not supported by many. Some supporters of the Soviet government united and decided to speak out against the destructive processes that were taking place in the Union.
The GKChP putsch was a political uprising that took place in August 1991. His goal is the restoration of the USSR. The 1991 coup was regarded by the official authorities as an attempted coup.
The events took place in Moscow from August 19 to 21, 1991. Among the many street clashes, the main striking event that ultimately led to the collapse of the USSR was the decision to create the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP). This was a new body formed by state officials, headed by USSR Vice President Gennady Yanaev.
Main reasons for the coup
The main reason for the August putsch can be considered dissatisfaction with Gorbachev's policies. Perestroika did not bring the expected results, the crisis deepened, unemployment and crime grew.
The last straw for future putschists and conservatives was the President’s desire to transform the USSR into a Union of Sovereign States. After M. S. Gorbachev left Moscow, the dissatisfied did not miss the opportunity for an armed uprising. But the conspirators failed to retain power; the putsch was suppressed.
The significance of the GKChP putsch
The 1991 coup launched an irreversible process towards the collapse of the USSR, which was already in a state of continuous economic and political instability. Despite the desire of the putschists to preserve the state, they themselves contributed to its collapse. After this event, Gorbachev resigned, the structure of the CPSU collapsed, and the republics of the USSR began to gradually proclaim their independence. The Soviet Union was replaced by a new state - the Russian Federation. And 1991 is understood by many as the year of the collapse of the USSR.
Bialowieza Accords
The 1991 Bialowieza Accords were signed on December 8th. Officials of three states - Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - put their signatures on them. The agreements were a document that legislated the collapse of the USSR and the formation of a new organization of mutual assistance and cooperation - the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
As mentioned earlier, the GKChP putsch only weakened the central authorities and thereby accompanied the collapse of the USSR. In some republics, separatist tendencies began to brew, which were actively promoted in the regional media. As an example, we can consider Ukraine. In the country, in a national referendum on December 1, 1991, almost 90% of citizens voted for the independence of Ukraine, and L. Kravchuk was elected president of the country.
In early December, the leader made a statement that Ukraine was abandoning the 1922 treaty on the creation of the USSR. The year 1991, therefore, became the starting point for Ukrainians on the path to their own statehood.
The Ukrainian referendum served as a signal for President Boris Yeltsin, who began to more persistently strengthen his power in Russia.
Creation of the CIS and the final destruction of the USSR
In turn, a new chairman of the Supreme Council, S. Shushkevich, was elected in Belarus. It was he who invited the leaders of neighboring states Kravchuk and Yeltsin to Belovezhskaya Pushcha to discuss the current situation and coordinate subsequent actions. After minor discussions between the delegates, the fate of the USSR was finally decided. The Treaty establishing the Soviet Union of December 31, 1922 was denounced, and in its place a plan for the Commonwealth of Independent States was prepared. After this process, many disputes arose, since the agreement on the creation of the USSR was supported by the Constitution of 1924.
However, it should be noted that the Belovezhskaya Agreements of 1991 were adopted not by the will of three politicians, but by the wishes of the peoples of the former Soviet republics. Just two days after the signing of the agreement, the Supreme Councils of Belarus and Ukraine adopted an act of denunciation of the union treaty and ratified the agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In Russia, on December 12, 1991, the same procedure took place. Not only radical liberals and democrats, but also communists voted for the ratification of the Belovezhskaya Accords.
Already on December 25, USSR President M. S. Gorbachev resigned. So, relatively simply, they destroyed the government system, which had existed for years. Although the USSR was an authoritarian state, there were certainly positive sides to its history. Among them are social security for citizens, the presence of clear government plans for the economy and superior military power. Many people to this day remember life in the Soviet Union with nostalgia.
