Post by Ben Burgess on Jan 18, 2005 18:46:51 GMT -5
A simple yet provocative debate that has inspired a generation oF historians in both their arguments and works: Was the Cold War 'won'? Who won it? And if it wasn't 'won' then why did the Soviet Union collapse?
My opinions on this matter can be found stated in the article 'Why did the Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe Collapse in 1989?' found at www.yoursites.co.uk/7.htm To start debate on this topic however, I have pasted the articles conclusion below. The proccess by which I came to this conclusion can be found by reading the entire article.
Ben
EXTRACT:
Gorbachev’s policies hastened the collapse of Communism in Russia, although it certainly did not bring about collapse on its own. Even from Khrushchev’s era it was apparent that the nature of the Communist party was changing although unfortunately for the party not fast enough to prevent its decline. The actions of Ronald Reagan in particular meant that the Russian economy could not hold the enormous strain of military spending for much longer. While this ultimately signified the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union it can be claimed without relative doubt that under a leader like Brezhnev the country would have been forced to struggle until its last breath. It was the new generation of ideas found in Gorbachev, therefore, that brought about the collapse in 1989. By introducing the people to a new way of living and confronting them with the truths of the past he made people question the way in which they were being governed. With this came a demand for answers and ultimately a loss of control as democratic elections were introduced and the Communist Party ceased to be the central figure in people’s lives. Therefore, while it is without doubt that Soviet Communism was inevitably going to collapse due to its own actions and that of the United States it can be reasonably argued that the collapse of communism in the east came in 1989 because of the reforming policies of Mikhail Gorbachev and the people’s reaction to them.
My opinions on this matter can be found stated in the article 'Why did the Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe Collapse in 1989?' found at www.yoursites.co.uk/7.htm To start debate on this topic however, I have pasted the articles conclusion below. The proccess by which I came to this conclusion can be found by reading the entire article.
Ben
EXTRACT:
Gorbachev’s policies hastened the collapse of Communism in Russia, although it certainly did not bring about collapse on its own. Even from Khrushchev’s era it was apparent that the nature of the Communist party was changing although unfortunately for the party not fast enough to prevent its decline. The actions of Ronald Reagan in particular meant that the Russian economy could not hold the enormous strain of military spending for much longer. While this ultimately signified the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union it can be claimed without relative doubt that under a leader like Brezhnev the country would have been forced to struggle until its last breath. It was the new generation of ideas found in Gorbachev, therefore, that brought about the collapse in 1989. By introducing the people to a new way of living and confronting them with the truths of the past he made people question the way in which they were being governed. With this came a demand for answers and ultimately a loss of control as democratic elections were introduced and the Communist Party ceased to be the central figure in people’s lives. Therefore, while it is without doubt that Soviet Communism was inevitably going to collapse due to its own actions and that of the United States it can be reasonably argued that the collapse of communism in the east came in 1989 because of the reforming policies of Mikhail Gorbachev and the people’s reaction to them.
