1. Socialist countries
Soviet Union

2. Soviet Union Its population in the late 80s was of near 300 million
It is mainly agricultural
Urbanization increased after 1917´s revolution

3. Way of life The aim was a society without classes
Lack of freedom during Stalinism
Hard living conditions
Social services assured: health, education, social security benefits

4. ECONOMY: Planning Nationalisation of enterprises Government planning
The model was not worth for a complex economy
Although the problems, the USSR was the second economy in the world.

5. ECONOMY: Labour
A majority of the population worked in public sector or in cooperatives
Unions checked on worker grievances, helped determine wage rates, and monitored social insurance and pension schemes

6. ECONOMY: Agriculture The USSR was an agricultural country
Mechanization and use of chemical
products
Collective exploitations:
Collective farms: Kolkhoz
State farms: Sovkhoz

7. ECONOMY: Forestry and fishing
Forestry produced the raw materials for many industries such as paper,
Fishing fleet was one of the most important of the world

8. ECONOMY: Mining and manufacturing
The USSR was one of the biggest producers of iron, aluminium and cooper, among other mineral resources
Manufacturing became the main activity of the country.

9. ECONOMY: Energy There were abundant energy resources
Concentration of resources in Siberia
Increase of investment in energy production
Lack of security of some sectors such as nuclear

10. ECONOMY: Transportation
Due to dispersion of production centres transportation is highly used
The main transport is train
Travel restrictions have been released

11. ECONOMY: Communications
Mass communication was an instructive tool
Media under state control
Censorship

12. ECONOMY: Currency and trade
The ruble stabilised during the NEP
The value of the currency was artificial
Consumers cooperatives were essential for consumption.

13. GORBACHEV ERA
After the sucession of several presidents, Gorbachev became the general secretary of the USSR
He started a revolution that put an end to the socialist government in the Soviet Union

14. Glasnost and Perestroika
The main points of his policy were:
Glasnost: Openness in the media and culture
Perestroika: Restructuring of the country and its political system
Other points were:
Uskorenie: Acceleration
Demokratizatsiia:
democratization

15. Glasnost and Perestroika
In economy he failed a deep reform
Individual entrepreneurship and small cooperatives were allowed but the state was the most important sector
Planned economy was altered and the growth slowed down
Shortages and protests
became frequent

16. Glasnost and Perestroika
In politics:
He organised democratic elections
He re-established freedoms
He amended the constitution
He had difficulties:
He provoked discontent of the old leaders
He did not satisfy the most progressive

17. Foreing policy initiatives
Gorbachev had a leading paper in the end of Cold War:
Arms reduction
Programme to investigate antibalistic tools
End production and stock of chemical weapons
Other areas:
Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Reduction of armed forces in Eastern Europe and Chinese border
Religious freedom
Improvement of relations with Israel
Pressure on Iraq to leave Kuwait

18. Communism in crisis
The USSR decided to withdraw from Eastern Europe and dissolve COMECOM and Warsaw Pact
Gorbachev did not use military force in his country and republics started their claim for independence
The following crisis discredited
Gorbachev and Yeltsin appeared
as the new hero

19. Republics secede In 1991 the USSR was destroyed
A Commonwealth of Independent States was created
Gorbachev resigned

20. Soviet legacy The new republics have followed independent trajectories
The Baltic republics have a more normal situation while in Central Asia the influence of the old USSR is bigger
Some unsolved problems:
Trade problems
Environmental degradation
Territorial disputes