Causes of Collapse of the Soviet Union
The following are the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union:
1. Financial Weakness
The main source of discontent among the citizens of the USSR was the economy’s instability. A severe shortage of consumer goods existed. The causes of the financial crisis were massive military expenditure, the maintenance of Eastern European satellite states, and the preservation of the USSR’s Central Asian Republics.
2. Lack of Political Responsibility
After around 70 years of single-party communist control, the regime became totalitarian. Widespread nepotism, corruption, and a lack of transparency were present. A progressive democratization process that ultimately threatened Communist authority and contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union began with Gorbachev’s decision to allow multi-party elections and establish a presidential system for the Soviet Union.
3. The Reforms of Gorbachev
People wanted more after Michael Gorbachev’s reforms gave them a taste of freedom. The need developed into a powerful force that was challenging to control. The populace desired to quickly catch up with the West.
4. The Rise of Nationalism
The most significant and direct reason for the USSR’s collapse is the growth of nationalism in nations like Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, and the Baltic republics (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). Rather than in the republics of Central Asia, a stronger sense of patriotism was seen in the USSR’s more affluent regions. Regular citizens of wealthy nations disliked having to put out a significant amount of money to help the less developed Central Asian nations.
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The Collapse of the Soviet Union, also known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) took place in 1991. The Soviet Union, consisting of fifteen countries, was a federal socialist state situated in Northern Eurasia. Moscow, the current capital of Russia, was previously the capital of the Soviet Union. The Cold War came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and a new chapter in world politics was initiated. In 1990, the disintegration started, leading to the creation of several sovereign states. On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union was collapsed.
Table of Content
- History of the Soviet Union
- Reason of Collapse of the Soviet Union
- Origins of the Soviet Union
- Mikhail Gorbachev and the Glasnost Era
- Revolution of 1989
- Events in the Soviet Union’s Collapse
- Causes of Collapse of the Soviet Union
- Effects of the Collapse of the Soviet Union
- Problems With USSR