The Decline and Fall of the Soviet Union
Almost sixty-nine years after it was founded, the Soviet Union came to an end. In 1985 Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev became general secretary of the Communist Party, and in 1988 he became President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). However, six years later on December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned. It was at this time that the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Most Russians today, still suffering through a difficult transition, believe Gorbachev changed their nation for the worse. Most foreigners think he changed the world for the better. It may take decades before Mikhail Sergeyevich's place in history can be fully evaluated. Boris Yeltsin became the first elected president of the Russian Federation on June 12, 1991.Countless problems and unfulfilled expectations plagued Yeltsin as the first elected leader of the newly independent Russian democracy. His attempts at drastic reforms, which were to transform Russia into a prosperous market based economy, were met with public disapproval. As president of Russia, Yeltsin played a pivotal role in the dissolution of the USSR. Despite assurances from Yeltsin that reform would yield dividends within a year, the economy contract
Unwilling to use force to quell his opponents within the constituent republics, Gorbachev tried to draw the republics voluntarily in a new "Union Treaty" of federation, which would update the original treaty that established the USSR in 1922. A preliminary version of such a treaty was to be initialed by a number of the republics on August 20, 1991. That signing never took place, however, for on August 19, a group of Gorbachev's closest associates - all Communist conservatives at the highest levels of government - attempted a coup against Gorbachev by declaring a national state of emergency. Gorbachev, under guard at his summer home, refused to endorse the plot, which quickly crumbled in the face of street protests in Moscow spearheaded by Russian president Yeltsin, who emerged as the hero of the hour and other pro-democracy politicians. Gorbachev returned to Moscow, but his leadership had been severely discredited by the crisis. On August 24 Gorbachev resigned as general secretary of the Communist Party. Within several days, party activities had been suspended. Disturbing for Moscow was the continued violent outbreaks between minority nationalities that took place across the Soviet Union from Moldavia to the Caucasus to central Asia, claiming hundreds of lives. While ethnic hatreds continued to flare and burn, economic problems deepened. The trouble was summed up by one official who complained that "we have completely destroyed the old system and proposed nothing in its place." Soviet consumers suffered because the old centrally planned distribution system broke down faster than it could be replaced by the private sector. As a result, despite a record grain harvest, so many crops rotted in the fields or on the way to market that not enough reached consumers to feed the country. By the end of the year food shortages plagued the country from east to west, as did rapidly rising prices. Prices for basic food products in farmers' markets outside the official state system skyrocketed in the last half of the year, jumping by 47 pe
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Approximate Word count = 1378
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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