CHAPTER- 1 THE END OF BIPOLARITY
NOTES
1. The Soviet system- The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) came into existence after the socialist revolution that took place in Russia in 1917.
- This revolution took place in opposition to the capitalist system and was inspired by the ideals of socialism and the need for an egalitarian society.
- The core of the Soviet political system was the Communist Party. There was no place for any other political party or opposition within it.
- After the Second World War, the countries of Eastern Europe came under the control of the Soviet Union. The political and social systems of all these countries were shaped on the model of the Soviet Union’s socialist system.
- After the Second World War, the Soviet Union emerged as a superpower.
- The Soviet Union’s domestic consumer industry was highly developed, and everything from pins to cars was produced there.
- The government provided basic necessities such as healthcare, education, childcare, and other welfare services at subsidized rates.
- Due to the absence of democracy and freedom of expression, people often expressed their dissent through jokes and cartoons.
- The people formed the Soviet Union by uniting 15 republics in order to manage their culture and other affairs collectively.
- The Soviet Union lagged behind the Western countries in terms of technology and infrastructure.
- The Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan in 1979, which further weakened its system.
2. Gorbachev and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union-
- Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to reform this system. He became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s.
- Gorbachev decided to normalize relations with Western countries, democratize the Soviet Union, and introduce reforms there.
- During Gorbachev’s rule, the Soviet Union did not intervene in such disturbances the way it had done in the past.
- Along with these changes taking place outside the Soviet Union, the internal crisis was also deepening, which further accelerated the process of the Soviet Union’s disintegration.
- Gorbachev implemented a policy of economic and political reforms and democratization within the country.
- In 1991, a coup took place. Yeltsin played an important role in opposing this coup and emerged as a hero.
- The Russian Republic, where Boris Yeltsin had won the general elections, refused to accept centralized control.
- In December 1991, under Yeltsin’s leadership, the three major republics of the Soviet Union, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus declared the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- The announcement of the dissolution of the Communist Soviet Republic and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States came as a great surprise to the remaining republics, especially the Central Asian republics.
- Russia was recognized as the successor state of the Soviet Union. It inherited the Soviet Union’s seat in the Security Council. All the international agreements and treaties signed by the Soviet Union were now the responsibility of Russia to uphold.
- After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia became the only nuclear-armed country among the former republics.
3. Causes of the Dissolution of the Soviet Union-
- The political and economic institutions of the Soviet Union failed to meet the aspirations of the people due to internal weaknesses.
- For many years, the economy remained stagnant. This led to a severe shortage of consumer goods, and a large section of the Soviet population began to view their government with suspicion.
- The Soviet Union devoted most of its resources to nuclear weapons and military equipment. It also spent its resources on the development of its satellite countries in Eastern Europe to keep them under Soviet control.
- The common citizens of the Soviet Union became increasingly aware of the progress of Western countries.
- The Communist Party ruled the Soviet Union for 70 years, and it had ceased to be accountable to the people.
- People no longer felt connected to the government and its rulers, and the public support for the regime gradually eroded.
- Gorbachev promised to reform the economy, bring it on par with the West, and relax the administrative structure.
- The rise of feelings of nationalism and sovereignty proved to be the final and most immediate cause of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- Gorbachev’s reforms fueled the dissatisfaction of nationalists to such an extent that the rulers could no longer control it.
4. Consequences of the Dissolution-
- The collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist system in Eastern Europe had serious consequences for world politics.
- The ideological debate over whether the socialist system could surpass the capitalist system was no longer an issue.
- The end of the Cold War also brought an end to the arms race and gave rise to the possibility of a new era of peace.
- Power relations in world politics changed, and as a result, there was also a shift in the relative influence of ideas and institutions.
- The end of the Soviet bloc also meant the emergence of new countries.
5. Shock Therapy-
- After the fall of communism, the former Soviet republics went through a painful transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system.
- A specific model of transition toward capitalism was adopted in Russia, the Central Asian republics, and the countries of Eastern Europe.
- This model, guided by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, was called “Shock Therapy.”
- The central principle of Shock Therapy was that private ownership would be the most effective form of property. It involved the immediate adoption of privatization of state assets and the establishment of a framework for commercial ownership.
Consequences of the Therapy-
- The Shock Therapy adopted in 1990 did not lead the people to the consumer paradise it had promised.
- In general, Shock Therapy devastated the economies of the entire region, and the people had to suffer the consequences of widespread ruin.
- The value of the Russian currency, the ruble, fell dramatically. Inflation rose so sharply that people’s savings were wiped out.
- Russia began importing food grains. By 1999, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was far below the level of 1989.
- In the former Soviet republics, especially in Russia, a sharp divide emerged between the rich and the poor.
- The economies of most countries, including Russia, began to recover around the year 2000 about ten years after gaining independence.
6. Conflicts and Tensions-
- Most of the former Soviet republics are regions prone to conflict.
- Violent separatist movements took place in two of Russia’s republics Chechnya and Dagestan.
- In Central Asia, Tajikistan was caught in a civil war for ten years, until 2001. Several communal conflicts are ongoing throughout this region.
- In Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two parts, forming the two countries the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
7. Post-Communist Countries and India-
- India has maintained good relations with all the former communist countries, but its ties with Russia are the deepest.
- The history of India-Russia relations is a history of mutual trust and shared interests.
- As part of the 2001 India-Russia Strategic Agreement, 80 bilateral documents have been signed between India and Russia.
- India is the second-largest buyer of weapons from Russia.
- Russia is also important for India’s nuclear program.
- Russia has also helped India’s space industry in times of need by providing cryogenic rockets.
