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Forum Index » Discussion » Votes & Polls » why do you think that the soviet union dissolved? [ Go to page ][ Previous ][ 1, 2 ]
 10 May 2012, 15:32
They tried to build SIOC and ended up building state capitalism instead. The USSR fell to the national bourgeoisie it bred. Not many states collapse from the top-down.
 
Soviet cogitations: 2171
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 01 Nov 2003, 13:17 Ideology: Other Forum Commissar 11 May 2012, 16:23
Other
It was a mix of all factors. Sadly I have not conducted an in depth study into why the Soviet Union collapsed but have read Wikipedia and listened to the opinions of the experts on this forum. It seems it was due in large part to the mishandling on the part of the leadership during those years. They did not know how to reform slowly and instead opened the press for criticism of the system. The result was that every complaint over the adventurist economic policies of Gorbachev and ethnic tensions could be stirred to excessive levels. The economy is always the most delicate part of government. If it is not handled well the whole system can collpase. They should have been more careful and not allowed an atmosphere of free press to appear either. The Chinese were far more sensible with their reforms and today the PRC is still here. Happiness is in your ability to love others. - Leo Tolstoy
Soviet cogitations: 564
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 29 Jun 2010, 16:09 Ideology: Marxism-Leninism Komsomol 14 May 2012, 05:00
I said perestroika, it was the introduction of Capitalism, and the last blow to the Soviet centrally planned economy, and then made it so Russia and the former states were dependent upon Western businesses and investments. That was Gorbachev's plan in the first place, and unfortunately, it succeeded. Although I think I probably should have picked Other.
Партия всегда права.
Die Partei hat immer recht. The Party is always right. 14 May 2012, 05:42
This is one of those polls where it might have been an idea to allow people to tick more than one box, because I think that most of the reasons mentioned did play some part (perhaps with the exception of the one which blames the soviet system directly).
Regardless of whether it would have been a good idea, I believe that both Perestroika and Glasnost could have succeeded as reforms if they'd been pursued in a much slower and more measured fashion. The fact that a number of people at the helm of the reforms had lost all belief in a soviet system doomed the exercise though - it seems that they were mainly concerned with dismantling the system and they clearly saw Perestroika and Glasnost just as means to that end. I think there were other people interested in genuine reform and preservation of the soviet system also, but they failed to realize that not everyone was pulling in the same direction.
Soviet cogitations: 564
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 29 Jun 2010, 16:09 Ideology: Marxism-Leninism Komsomol 14 May 2012, 06:34
I disagree especially since Gorbachev himself said that his goal was to "liquidate communism" and he also said he entered the office of Gensec of the CPSU, with the support of his wife, with an anti-communist agenda. So I believe perestroika to be a direct sabotaging of socialism in Eastern Europe, inflicted by Gorbachev, a traitor.
Gorbachev made these statements 10 years or so, after the fall of the USSR and he did so at an American institute in Turkey, its hard to say whether or not he was telling the truth that he really entered the office to destroy communism but that is exactly what he said. He may have been saying that however to appease the West, esp. considering where he was speaking at when he made this statements. If I could vote again I'd probably pick other but upon seeing this poll I immediately voted Perestroika, I do believe it had a big part in the actual dismantling of the Soviet system. Партия всегда права.
Die Partei hat immer recht. The Party is always right. 15 May 2012, 01:54
Man In Grey wrote:If you're disagreeing with me then maybe I haven't explained what I meant clearly enough... Firstly... I didn't say Perestroika and Glasnost were necessarily good ideas, just that they "could have worked" if handled differently. Secondly, I actually had people like Gorby and friends in mind when I said the following: Shigalyov wrote: I believe there were a significant number of people in the lower echelons of power who still believed in the soviet system and agreed to Perestroika and Glasnost as way of modernizing, updating and rectifying some of the flaws of the soviet system, but sadly they were misled by their seniors who had lost faith in the system. |
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