1. Introduction to Comparative Politics Lecture #13 How Soviet Communism Died

2. 2 Agenda for today  Leonid Brezhnev and his legacy  Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms  The Death of Soviet Communism  Yeltsin Emerges

3. 3 Leonid Brezhnev, 1906-82

4. 4 Brezhnev and the "slide into cynicism" (1964-82)  Brezhnev: A Stalinist apparatchik, appointed 1952  Brezhnev's lessons: No offense, no adventurism Foreign policy caution Military arms build-up Restalinization Party stability  Brezhnev in the 1970s: dominant but aging  1982: Brezhnev dies after years of illness

5. 5 Brezhnev's Legacy  A Closed, Stalinist society  Superpower status  High Defense Effort (25% of GNP)  Economic and technological stagnation  Gerontocracy and Cronyism  Inefficiency  Corruption and public cynicism

6. 6 Yuri Andropov 1914-84 Konstantin Chernenko 1911-85

7. 7 Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, 1931-

8. 8 Mikhail Gorbachev, 1985-91  Generation of 1931 No stalinist legacy No participation in Great Patriotic War Lawyer Agricultural background, Stavropol  Third leadership generation Andropov’s protegé 20-25 years younger than predecessors  Reluctant reformer

9. 9 Gorbachev’s Reforms  Glasnost (openness): civil society reform Legalize political debate, criticism Improve gov’t information Alliance with intellectuals (Sakharov)  Democratization: political reform Strengthen gov’t vs. party Introduce contested elections Loosen party monopoly Weaken nomenklatura Strong, independent presidency  Perestroika (restructuring): economic reform Abandon gross output targets Some use of price mechanism Permit cooperatives, joint enterprises Accept unemployment

10. 10 Communism on the Precipice, 1989-91  Implosion of Eastern Europe (Poland)  Ineffective economic reforms Collapse of world oil prices Failed campaign against alcohol abuse  Nationalist demands in the Baltics  Hardliners:Threats to party, military  Reformers:Timid political reforms

11. 11 Boris Yeltsin 1931-

12. 12 Yeltsin, the Challenger  Contemporary of Gorbachev  Humble peasant background, father served three years in Gulag  Appointed Mayor of Moscow by Gorbachev in 1985  Fired 1987 after criticizing Gorbachev  Elected Russian President in 1990  Led resistance to attempted coup in August 1991

13. 13 The Fateful Fall of 1991  The Attempted coup of August 1991  Yeltsin challenges Gorbachev’s power and leadership  The Party collapses  Baltics declare independence  Russia (Yeltsin) declares independence  The formation of CIS  The End: December 25, 1991

14. 14 Yeltsin’s Challenges  Keeping Russia Together  Preventing a Return to Communism  Economic Stagnation and Government Indebtedness  Poverty and Social Problems  Creating a Rule of Law