The realities of daily life during the 1970 s

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1 L.I. Brezhnev ( ) Personal style is polar opposite to Khrushchev s Leads through consensus Period of stagnation Informal social contract Steady growth in standard of living Law & order guaranteed End to terror Expensive for state & abandonment of ideological core of Marxism-Leninism Embrace of pragmatism The realities of daily life during the 1970 s Contrasting images of Brezhnev (1981) 1

2 How do you assess the Brezhnev years? It was a period of prosperous development of the country It was a period of stagnation, which led to the collapse of the USSR At first it was a period of prosperity, but then stagnation, which led to the collapse of the USSR The country faced serious problems, but the collapse of the USSR was due to Gorbachev and democracy Unsure Levada Center, January 2011 Unraveling of the USSR Revival of Russia Key Terms: Andropov, Chernenko, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, perestroika, glasnost, Congress of People s Deputies, Article 6, new thinking Aftermath of Brezhnev s death (1982) Rise of Andropov (82-84) Ambassador to Hungary ( 56) Head of KGB: notorious for suppressing dissent As General Secretary: Effort at reform of state & CPSU bureaucracy Campaign for labor discipline Chernenko ( ) Long-time Brezhnev crony Edged out in post-brezhnev struggle by Andropov Terminally ill by the time he becomes General Secretary Most ineffectual leader of CPSU 2

3 M.S. Gorbachev ( ) Background: Born in 1931 in Stavropol Law degree from Moscow State University Spent entire career working in Party apparatus Rapid rise in CPSU hierarchy What explains his appeal? Well-educated Youth & physical vigor Policy platform: economic reform within stable political context Good politician: able to compromise when necessary Contrast between Gorbachev & predecessors: age, style, & physical vigor Gorbachev s policy goals: Perestroika: Economic reform as springboard for broader reforms b/c economy is absorbing too many resources Goal: get firms to balance their books End government subsidies harden soft budget constraints Contemplate replacing plan fulfillment with profitability Method: Increase autonomy of enterprise managers (decentralization) Legalize new forms of property ownership BUT Gorbachev never advocated full-fledged private property 3

4 Glasnost : shift in state-society relationship Willingness to accept debate and criticism Move away from Party line Greater openness about governmental & Party policy Chernobyl Televised legislative sessions Reforming the Party s role in Soviet life Compare situation in 1985 & 1991 March 1985: CPSU has complete monopoly on political power & controls economy December 1991: CPSU has relinquished monopoly on power & has been declared illegal Destruction of CPSU was not one of Gorbachev s goals 2 turning points: 19 th Party Congress (summer 1988): fundamental reforms Term limits for Party officials Multiple candidates for elections Empower legislature usurp power of CPSU Amendment of Article 6 of Constitution (March 1990) Ends leading role of Party 4

5 How & why does Gorbachev fall from power? Maintaining support becomes increasingly difficult Classic transitional figure: At outset => considered too radical By the end => considered to be too conservative Comes to suffer by comparison to Yeltsin Referendum (spring 1991): Should union be preserved? Popular majority favors preservation New union treaty negotiated among republics Coup (Aug 1991) on eve of signing new treaty Goal of coup plotters: preserve USSR in current form Unknown: Gorbachev s level of involvement Result: Yeltsin s popularity soars Dissolution of USSR (Dec 1991) Gorbachev resigns How & why does Gorbachev fall from power? Maintaining support becomes increasingly difficult Classic transitional figure: At outset => considered too radical By the end => considered to be too conservative Comes to suffer by comparison to Yeltsin Referendum (spring 1991): Should union be preserved? Popular majority favors preservation New union treaty negotiated among republics Coup (Aug 1991) on eve of signing new treaty Goal of coup plotters: preserve USSR in current form Unknown: Gorbachev s level of involvement Result: Yeltsin s popularity soars Dissolution of USSR (Dec 1991) Gorbachev resigns Images of the August 1991 Coup 5

6 The Aftermath of the August 1991 Coup January 1990 Man of the Decade Gorbachev resigns December 1991 The End of the Soviet Union Russians are tough on Gorbachev personally and on perestroika As to Gorbachev personally: Less than 15% have a positive view The remainder are about evenly split between negativity and neutrality Was perestroika mostly positive or negative for Russia? Mostly positive Mostly negative Unsure

7 B.N. Yeltsin ( ) Background: Born in Sverdlovsk (1931) (Ekaterinburg) Entered CPSU bureaucracy in 30s 1976: First Secretary of Sverdlovsk oblast 1985: First Secretary of Moscow City Party Committee 1987: dismissed as First Secretary of Moscow Revival of career => 1989 election to legislature Elected to Congress of People s Deputies (March 89) Elected President of Russian parliament by vote of legislators Elected President of Russian Federation by popular vote (June 12, 1991) Quits Party (Summer 1991) War of Laws Struggle between USSR & RF Legislatures Personalized through battle between Gorbachev & Yeltsin Both legislatures pass laws on same subject, resulting in lack of clarity as to which is binding on whom The end of the Soviet Union Referendum (spring 1991): Should union be preserved? Popular majority favors preservation New union treaty negotiated among republics Coup (Aug 1991) on eve of signing new treaty Goal of coup plotters: preserve USSR in current form Unknown: Gorbachev s level of involvement Result: Yeltsin s popularity soars Dissolution of USSR (Dec 1991) Gorbachev resigns 7

8 As of Jan 1, 1992: Yeltsin is undisputed leader of Russia Commonwealth of Independent States 8

9 1990s: remarkable & tumultuous decade for Russia Role of state USSR was strong state CPSU had complete control By late 1990s, Russia was classic weak state Unable to maintain law & order; collect taxes Stalemate evolves between exec & legisl branches Pace of reforms Devolves into open battle Yeltsin fires on White House (Oct 1993) Changes that come out of October events (1993) New constitution reshaped every branch of government Highly skewed to favor presidential power Creates new-and-improved legislature (Duma) Series of legislative and presidential elections Emergence of new political parties BUT lack of stability parties come & go Asymmetrial federalism Yeltsin cuts separate deals with regional leaders 9

10 Economy Jan 1992: state controls on prices eliminated Shelves fill up in stores Privatization of industrial enterprises Shift from state-owned enterprises (SOE) to private firms Profit replaces plan fulfillment Results of privatization SOE s struggle with how to handle competition Wage payments delayed Inefficient firms survive Impact on ordinary Russians Unemployment rises Decline in living standards Gap between rich & poor Pensioners destitute Parents struggle to raise kids Corruption Businessmen cannot rely on police turn to private protection roof (krysha) Bribes: become part of everyday life (ex: university entrance) Informal solutions Yeltsin resigns ( ) Speech: apologetic tone Motivations for resigning Health? Avoiding prison time? Due to resignation absence of normal transition Yeltsin = kingmaker Putin becomes Acting President ( ) Yeltsin fades out of view; Dies in

11 Images from Yeltsin s funeral Yeltsin s grave What is your attitude to Yeltsin? First survey after Yeltsin s death Neutral Not sure Positive Negative 11