Chapter 33, Sections 3 and Chapter 34, Section 1 Life Under Communism And The New Russia Emerges

Leaders of the communist party became the new privileged class… shopping in better stores with good domestic and foreign goods; getting better medical care, new apartments, and vacations in reserved summer homes.

The government was hostile to religion, and used its power to lessen its influence. They used propaganda and imposed tight controls. No one who was openly religious could pursue a career in the communist party.

Benefits: Public transport was cheap and healthcare was free. Rent and basic food costs were low. Every individual was guaranteed a job. Workers got old- age pensions, yet they still lived in poverty. After Stalin there were more consumer goods and new housing built.

Shortages-families in city apts still shared kitchens and bathrooms with neighbors. Meat, fresh fruit and veggies were hard to get and expensive. People spent a lot of time standing in lines. It took years of waiting to get a car. A black market emerged.

The Russian Revolution led to laws making men and women equal. Occupations were open to women. 70% of lawyers and doctors were women. BY 1945 women greatly outnumbered men b/c of war casualties. Women rebuilt the nation.

Mikhail Gorbachev (took reins in 1985) launched perestroika (allowing local managers to decide what to produce) and private enterprise too. Gorbachev embraced glasnost (openness). People were urged to criticize inefficiency.

In the late 80’s the Soviet economy collapsed. Glasnost resulted in calls for independence from non-Russian republics. In 1990, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the Balkans declared independence. In 1991, the Soviet Union ended. In its place were 15 independent republics. The largest was the Russian Federation.

The shift to “free markets” caused huge upheavals. Government sold factories and resources to private groups. New owners closed factories, causing unemployment. The price of goods rose.

Vladimir Putin took over democratically in He curbed the power of the Duma and regional leaders. He tried to reduce obstacles to business and lower corruption to encourage foreign investment. An oil boom led to some recovery in the early 2000s. Putin moved to a market economy.