Eastern Europe and Russia Chapter 6, Section 2 (Note: Part 1 of 2 parts)

The Breakup of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms did not solve the problems of the Soviet Union. The economy got worse. Many communists were unhappy when Gorbachev did not force Eastern European countries to remain communist. In 1991 a group of Soviet leaders tried to overthrow the Soviet government in a failed coup d’etat.

The Breakup of the Soviet Union (Cont’d) The Soviet republics declared independence and the Warsaw Pact dissolved. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union no longer existed. The USSR now became 15 different countries. Russia is the largest country.

Modern Eastern Europe Each former Soviet republic set up its own non-Communist government. The countries held democratic elections and some wrote or revised their constitutions. In some countries, former Communists were banned from important governmental posts. Some ethic groups tried to create or reestablish old states.

Parliamentary Republics Most Eastern European countries are parliamentary republics. Parliamentary Republic—form of government led by the head of the political party with the most members in the parliament. Most of the countries also have a president for ceremonial purposes. Some countries, however, have a coalition government. Coalition Government—Small political parties that work together to form a government.

New Economies of Eastern Europe Under Soviet rule, countries struggled economically. People’s freedoms were severely restricted. After gaining their freedom, countries continued to struggle with inflation and unemployment. Countries are transitioning from a command to a free-market economy.

Example of a Command Economy

New Economies of Eastern Europe (Cont’d) Many countries that didn’t reform have economies that are in bad shape and are very poor. Struggles for power have led to violence and sometimes civil war. Pollution from the Soviet era threatens people’s health.

Abandoned Sites

Abandoned Chemical Plant

Defense After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Eastern European countries no longer had the Soviet government to defend them. Many wanted to join NATO for protection against an invasion.

End of Part 1