The collapse of the USSR (also the collapse of the USSR) - the processes of systemic disintegration in the national economy, social structure, social and political sphere of the Soviet Union, which led to the termination of its existence as a state in 1991.

Background

In 1922, at the time of its creation, the Soviet Union inherited most of the territory, multinational structure and multi-confessional environment of the Russian Empire. In 1917-1921, Finland and Poland gained independence, proclaimed sovereignty: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Tuva. Some territories of the former Russian Empire were annexed in 1939-1946.

The USSR included: Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, the Baltic States, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, Tuva People's Republic, Transcarpathia, as well as a number of other territories.

As one of the winners of the Second World War, the Soviet Union, following its results and on the basis of international treaties, secured the right to own and dispose of vast territories in Europe and Asia, access to the seas and oceans, and colossal natural and human resources. The country emerged from the bloody war with a socialist-type economy, which was quite developed for that time, based on regional specialization and interregional economic ties, most of which worked for the country's defense.

In the sphere of influence of the USSR were the countries of the so-called socialist camp. In 1949, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance was created, and later the collective currency, the transferable ruble, was introduced into circulation, which was in circulation in the socialist countries. Thanks to the strict control over ethno-national groups, the introduction into the mass consciousness of the slogan of indestructible friendship and brotherhood of the peoples of the USSR, it was possible to minimize the number of interethnic (ethnic) conflicts of a separatist or anti-Soviet persuasion.

Individual protests of workers that took place in the 1960s – 1970s, for the most part, were in the nature of protests against the unsatisfactory provision (supply) of socially significant goods, services, low wages and dissatisfaction with the work of the authorities “on the ground”.

The 1977 Constitution of the USSR proclaims a single, new historical community of people - the Soviet people. In the mid and late 1980s, with the beginning of perestroika, glasnost and democratization, the nature of protests and mass demonstrations changed somewhat.

The Union republics that made up the USSR, according to the Constitution, were considered sovereign states; for each of which the Constitution enshrined the right to secede from the USSR, but the legislation lacked legal norms regulating the procedure for this secession. Only in April 1990, a corresponding law was adopted, which provided for the possibility of the Union republic seceding from the USSR, but after the implementation of rather complicated and difficult-to-implement procedures.

Formally, the union republics had the right to enter into relations with foreign states, conclude treaties with them and exchange

diplomatic and consular representatives, to participate in the activities of international organizations; for example, the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSR, based on the results of the agreements reached at the Yalta Conference, had their representatives in the UN since its inception.

In reality, such "initiatives from below" required detailed coordination in Moscow. All appointments to key party and economic positions in the union republics and autonomies were preliminarily considered and approved by the center, the decisive role in the one-party system was played by the leadership and the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee.

Reasons for the disappearance of a huge power

There is no consensus among historians on the reasons for the collapse of the USSR. Rather, there were several of them. Here are the most basic ones.

Degradation of power

The USSR was formed by fanatics of the idea. Ardent revolutionaries came to power. Their main goal is to build a communist state where everyone would be equal. All people are brothers. They work and live the same way.

Only the fundamentalists of communism were allowed to power. And such every year it became less and less. The highest bureaucratic apparatus was aging. The country was burying the General Secretary. After the death of Brezhnev, Andropov came to power. And two years later - his funeral. The post of General Secretary is occupied by Chernenko. A year later he is buried. Gorbachev becomes General Secretary. He was too young for the country. At the time of his election, he was 54 years old. Before Gorbachev, the average age of managers was 75.

The new leadership turned out to be incompetent. There was no longer that fanaticism and that ideological spirit. Gorbachev became the catalyst for the collapse of the USSR. His famous restructuring led to a weakening of the monocentrism of power. And the union republics took advantage of this moment.

Everyone wanted independence

The leaders of the republics strove to get rid of the centralized power. As mentioned above, with the arrival of Gorbachev, they did not fail to take advantage of democratic reforms. The regional authorities had a lot of reasons for dissatisfaction:

• centralized decision-making slowed down the activities of the union republics;
• time wasted;
• individual regions of a multinational country wanted to develop independently, because they had their own culture, their own history;
• a certain nationalism is characteristic of every republic;
• numerous conflicts, protests, coups only added fuel to the fire; and many historians see the breakdown of the Berlin Wall and the creation of a unified Germany as a catalyst.

Crisis in all spheres of life

What, what, and the crisis phenomena in the USSR were typical for all areas:

• there was a catastrophic shortage of essential goods on the shelves;
• products of inadequate quality were produced (the pursuit of deadlines, the cheapening of raw materials led to a drop in the quality of consumer goods);
• uneven development of individual republics in the union; the weakness of the raw material economy of the USSR (this became especially noticeable after the decline in world oil prices);
• the most severe censorship in the media; active growth of the shadow economy.

The situation was aggravated by man-made disasters. The people especially rebelled after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The planned economy in this situation caused many deaths. The reactors were commissioned on time, but not in proper condition. And they hid all the information from people.

With the arrival of Gorbachev, the curtain to the West was slightly opened. And the people saw how others live. Soviet citizens smelled freedom. They wanted more.

The USSR turned out to be problematic in terms of morality. Soviet people engaged in sex, and drank, and dabbled in drugs, and faced crime. Years of silence and denial made the confession too harsh.

The collapse of ideology

The huge country was based on the strongest idea: to build a bright communist future. The ideals of communism were instilled from birth. Kindergarten, school, work - a person grew together with the idea of ​​equality and brotherhood. Any attempts to think differently, or even hints of an attempt, were harshly suppressed.

But the main ideologues of the country grew old and died. The young generation did not need communism. What for? If there is nothing to eat, it is impossible to buy anything, to say, it is difficult to go somewhere. Moreover, people are dying because of restructuring.

Not the least role in the collapse of the USSR was assigned to the activities of the United States. Huge powers claimed world domination. And the States systematically "erased" the union state from the map of Europe (Cold War, initiating a fall in oil prices).

All these factors did not even leave a chance for the preservation of the USSR. The great power broke up into separate states.

Fatal dates

The collapse of the USSR began in 1985. Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, announced the beginning of perestroika. In short, its essence meant a complete reform of the Soviet system of power and economy. As for the latter, a transition to private entrepreneurship in the form of cooperatives is being tried. If we take the ideological side of the issue, it was declared a softening of censorship and an improvement in relations with the West. Perestroika causes euphoria among the population, which is gaining unprecedented, by the standards of the Soviet Union, freedom.

And what went wrong then?

Almost all. The fact is that the economic situation in the country has begun to deteriorate. Plus, ethnic conflicts are escalating - for example, the conflict in Karabakh. In 1989-1991, a total shortage of food began in the USSR. On the outside, the situation is no better - the Soviet Union is losing ground in Eastern Europe. Pro-Soviet communist regimes are overthrown in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania.

Meanwhile, the population is no longer euphoric due to food shortages. In 1990, disappointment with the Soviet regime reaches its limit. At this time, it is legalized

private property, stock and foreign exchange markets are formed, cooperation begins to take the form of a Western-style business. In the external arena, the USSR finally loses its superpower status. Separatist sentiments are ripening in the union republics. The priority of the republican legislation over the federal one is massively announced. In general, it is clear to everyone that the Soviet Union is living out its last days.

Wait, there was some other coup, tanks?

Everything is correct. First, on June 12, 1991, Boris Yeltsin became president of the RSFSR. Mikhail Gorbachev was still the president of the USSR. In August of the same year, the Treaty on the Union of Sovereign States was published. By that time, all union republics had declared their sovereignty. Thus, the USSR ceased to exist in its usual form, offering a soft form of confederation. 9 out of 15 republics were supposed to enter there.

But the signing of the treaty was thwarted by the old avid communists. They created the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP) and declared their disobedience to Gorbachev. In short, their goal is to prevent the collapse of the Union.

And then there was the famous August putsch, which also famously failed. The same tanks were being driven to Moscow, Yeltsin's defenders blocking the equipment with trolleybuses. On August 21, a column of tanks was withdrawn from Moscow. Later, members of the State Emergency Committee are arrested. And the union republics are declaring their independence en masse. On December 1, a referendum is held in Ukraine, where independence is declared on August 24, 1991.

And what happened on December 8?

The last nail in the coffin of the USSR. Russia, Belarus and Ukraine as founders of the USSR stated that "the USSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases to exist." And they announced the creation of the CIS. On December 25-26, the authorities of the USSR as a subject of international law ceased to exist. On December 25, Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation.

3 more reasons that caused the collapse of the USSR

The country's economy and the war in Afghanistan were not the only reasons that "helped" to destroy the Soviet Union. Let's name 3 more events that took place in the mid-late 90s of the last century, and became associated with the collapse of the USSR by many:

1. Fall of the Iron Curtain. The propaganda of the Soviet leadership about the "terrible" standard of living in the United States and the democratic countries of Europe collapsed after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
2. Technogenic disasters. Since the mid-80s, man-made disasters have taken place throughout the country. The climax was the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
3. Morality. Low morale of people holding public office helped the development of theft and lawlessness in the country.

1. If we talk about the main geopolitical consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union, then first of all it should be said that only from that moment could globalization begin. Before that, the world was divided. Moreover, these boundaries were often impassable. And when the Soviet Union collapsed, the world became a single information, economic and political system. The bipolar confrontation is a thing of the past, and globalization has taken place.
2. The second most important consequence is the most serious restructuring of the entire Eurasian space. This is the emergence of 15 states on the site of the former Soviet Union. Then the subsequent disintegration of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia. The emergence of a huge number of not only new states, but also unrecognized republics, which sometimes waged bloody wars among themselves.
3. The third consequence is the emergence of a unipolar moment on the world political scene. For some time, the United States remained the only superpower in the world that, in principle, had the ability to solve any problems at its own discretion. At this time, there was a sharp increase in the American presence not only in those regions that fell away from the Soviet Union. I mean both Eastern Europe and the former republics of the Soviet Union, but also in other regions of the world.
4. The fourth consequence is the massive expansion of the West. If earlier the Eastern European states, like the West, were not considered, now they not only began to be considered, but in fact institutionally became part of the Western alliances. I mean the members of the European Union and NATO.
5. The next most important consequence is the transformation of China into the second largest center of world development. China, after the Soviet Union left the historical arena, on the contrary, began to gain strength, applying the opposite pattern of development. The opposite of the one proposed by Mikhail Gorbachev. If Gorbachev proposed democracy without a market economy, then China proposed a market economy while maintaining the old political regime and achieved tremendous success. If at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union the economy of the RSFSR was three times larger than that of China, now the Chinese economy is four times the size of the economy of the Russian Federation.
6. And finally, the last major consequence is that developing countries, especially African ones, have been left to their own devices. Because if during the times of bipolar confrontation each of the poles in one way or another tried to help its allies outside their immediate zone of influence or outside their countries, then after the end of the Cold War all this stopped. And all the flows of aid that went to development in different regions of the world, both from the Soviet Union and from the West, were abruptly cut off. And this led to serious economic problems in virtually all developing countries in the 90s.

conclusions

The Soviet Union was a large-scale project, but it was destined to fail, as this was facilitated by the domestic and foreign policies of states. Many researchers believe that the fate of the USSR was predetermined when Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1985. The official date for the collapse of the Soviet Union was 1991.

There are a great many possible reasons why the USSR collapsed, and the following are considered to be the main ones:

• economic;
• ideological;
• social;
• political.

Economic difficulties in the countries led to the collapse of the union of republics. In 1989, the government officially recognized the economic crisis. This period was characterized by the main problem of the Soviet Union - a commodity deficit. There were no goods on the free market except bread. The population is transferred to special coupons, according to which it was possible to get the necessary food.

After the decline in world oil prices, the union of republics faced a big problem. This led to the fact that in two years foreign trade turnover decreased by 14 billion rubles. Low quality products began to be produced, which provoked a general economic recession in the country. The Chernobyl tragedy accounted for 1.5% of national income in losses and led to riots. Many were outraged by the government's policies. The population suffered from hunger and poverty. The main factor behind the collapse of the USSR was the thoughtless economic policy of M. Gorbachev. The launch of mechanical engineering, a reduction in foreign purchases of consumer goods, an increase in wages and pensions and other reasons undermined the country's economy. Political reforms outpaced economic processes and led to the inevitable undermining of the established system. In the early years of his reign, Mikhail Gorbachev was wildly popular among the population, as he introduced innovations and changed stereotypes. However, after the era of perestroika, the country entered the years of economic and political hopelessness. Unemployment began, lack of food and basic necessities, hunger, and increased crime.

The political factor in the collapse of the union was the desire of the leaders of the republics to get rid of the centralized power. Many regions wanted to develop independently, without the decrees of the centralized government, each had its own culture and history. Over time, the population of the republics begins to foment rallies and uprisings on ethnic grounds, which forced the leaders to make radical decisions. The democratic orientation of M. Gorbachev's policy helped them create their own internal laws and a plan for leaving the Soviet Union.

Historians identify another reason why the USSR collapsed. The leadership and foreign policy of the United States played an important role in the end of the union. The United States and the Soviet Union have always fought for world domination. It was in America's interest to wipe the USSR off the map in the first place. This is evidenced by the ongoing policy of the "cold curtain", the artificial understatement of oil prices. Many researchers believe that it was the United States that contributed to the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev at the helm of a great power. Year after year, he planned and implemented the fall of the Soviet Union.

On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist. Some political parties and organizations did not want to recognize the collapse of the USSR, believing that the country was attacked and influenced by Western powers.

A huge power, which at the time of its heyday and power occupied 1/6 of the land. Plurinational federal state. A country with a rich, centuries-old history. Year of birth - 1922, year of collapse - 1991. So why did the Soviet Empire cease to exist? Disputes about this do not subside even now, when humanity has entered the 21st century.

Causes of the collapse of the USSR

Among the indirect reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union should be attributed to the totalitarian regime that existed practically throughout its history. In the Leninist-Stalinist version, it was extremely tough, preventing any manifestation of dissent, when the carriers of alternative thinking were dealt with with the help of violence and terror, the creation of a network of prisons and concentration camps. In the era of Khrushchev's “thaw,” the regime softened somewhat, and manifestations of pluralism and limited democracy became possible. During Brezhnev's "stagnation", fighters against the regime (dissidents) were forced to emigrate, persecuted in the press, tried to hide in psychiatric hospitals, subjecting them to compulsory treatment. All these measures had a negative impact on the reputation of Soviet power abroad, in the eyes of the world community. It is not without reason that American President R. Reagan expressively called his main military adversary an "evil empire." Despite the fact that the 1977 USSR Constitution was recognized as one of the most democratic in the world, in practice many of its provisions remained declarative and were not implemented. The state, built on violence and with the help of violence, already existed for a rather long time. Is it any wonder that as soon as the winds of change blew, censorship was abolished, the principle of one-party system was abandoned, the “united and mighty” began to burst at the seams?

Centralized planning and command-and-control methods of economic management can be considered as another reason. The private sector was virtually eliminated from economic life, and with it competition and market relations. The city and urban lifestyle became the ideal. The village was rapidly dying out, abandoned to its own devices and left to its own devices. The city siphoned out all the profits from the village. For a long time the peasants remained tied to the land, like serfs, without even having passports. They worked not for money, but for workdays. And when MS Gorbachev, elected General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee in April 1985, allowed individual entrepreneurship and private trade, when the law on cooperatives came out, the whole country seemed to "run off the rails": everyone rushed to trade - from hands, from the floor, from trays , who as he could and whatever. The monopoly of the public sector in the economy was undermined.

Another reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union, albeit in many respects and formal, was its very vast territory. It was not in vain that the USSR was called an empire and was compared either with Ancient Rome, then with Byzantium (remember the theory "Moscow is the third Rome"), then with the state of Alexander the Great. And still, the lessons of history did not go to the future for the Soviet leaders. The disintegration of a state very often begins with conflicts in border areas and with the erosion of the borders themselves. And in the last years of the existence of the USSR, with the submission of the same MS Gorbachev, and then BN Yeltsin, a real "parade of sovereignties" began. As a result, by the end of 1991, only Russia and Kazakhstan remained in the Union, all other republics adopted the Declaration of Independence. Russia also accepted it, while remaining a part of the USSR. The situation could not be more absurd.

The next reason for the collapse was the aggravation of interethnic strife in the era of "perestroika". In previous years, national issues were pushed in or ignored. In the late 80s - early 90s. The "boil" burst: unrest in Alma-Ata, the Karabakh conflict, shooting at demonstrators in Tbilisi, etc. Chechnya also raised its head. In the wake of discussions about the state language, Tatarstan made an attempt to secede. From the "fraternal friendship of the Soviet peoples" in an instant, only a myth remained. In the Soviet leadership, the overwhelming majority were people of a very old age. In fact, such a form of government as gerontocracy has developed. Gorbachev was the youngest member of the Politburo - he was only 56 years old. It was precisely “just” - against the background of 70-80-year-old elders, some of whom already suffered from dementia and could not effectively rule the country. As accurately noted in the novel by R. Aldington "The Death of a Hero", the people, relying on the imaginary wisdom of decrepit elders, have hopelessly degenerated.

The Soviet economy, tied to world oil prices, after their artificial fall, inspired by the United States in collusion with Saudi Arabia, began to experience serious difficulties. There was a deficit, i.e. shortage of essential goods, queues have grown. The government even had to go to the introduction of food stamps. Finally, the unrestrained arms race and the militarization of the Soviet economy, to the detriment of its civilian orientation, played a detrimental role.

Course of events

The perestroika policy launched by Gorbachev deepened the internal crisis of the Soviet system. It was not subject to reform. The Warsaw Pact organization collapses. Nevertheless, in the 1991 referendum, the majority of citizens said yes to the renewed Union. He accelerated the process of the collapse of the GKChP putsch in August of the same year. The final point was reached at the negotiations in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) arose on the ruins of the USSR. Faced with a fact, Gorbachev resigned as President of the USSR.

The reasons for the collapse of the USSR have been agitating the minds of many thinking people for decades. Every year this topic becomes more and more relevant, because the disadvantages of the capitalist path that our country has followed since 1991 are becoming apparent. However, let's break down these reasons briefly and point by point, so that everything becomes more or less clear.

The Soviet Union has since become a unique socio-political and economic experiment that has shown the impossibility of achieving general welfare by the methods used by the Soviet elite. You can talk as much as you like about the CIA and "America", which was trying to "destroy" the country, in the end, ... But if you adhere to the scientific principle, it becomes clear that without internal reasons, external ones are just zilch!

Internal reasons

These include:

• The authoritarian nature of power in the Soviet Union. Authoritarianism is bad because it does not take into account the aspirations of large masses of people. Whatever "goodies" the regime handed out in the form of vouchers to Yalta, or an apartment, the lack of basic freedoms makes people doubt the existing political regime. In the case of the USSR, authoritarianism inculcated and forced artificial collectivism. It is clear that there will always be dissatisfied people.
• Centrifugal tendencies of the socialist republics due to the national question. The national question in the USSR was practically not resolved. It was believed that there is a single Soviet people, and the Russian is the elder brother of all peoples. Soviet propaganda tried to merge all peoples together by the method of a melting crucible, a cauldron, if you like. However, as soon as the national republics felt the weakness of the regime, they quickly fled from this cauldron! This was expressed, for example, in the "parade of sovereignties" in 1989 - 1991, and in the "velvet" revolutions in the countries of the socialist camp at the same time.
• Constant shortage of consumer goods. Such a deficit was caused by the fact that even under Stalin, the preponderance of heavy industry over light industry became apparent. In addition, it was caused by the arms race, when more than half of the national wealth was spent not on creating living conditions for the people, but on new weapons.

This shortage of consumer goods has become chronic. There was a shortage of clothes, household appliances, even telephones. As soon as Soviet citizens got access to video equipment, as soon as they saw that what the propagandists were telling them was not the truth about Western life, everyone immediately wanted the same benefits as in the West.

• The cultivation of a single Marxist-Leninist ideology nullified bold technical and other ideas. All those who disagreed were subject to repression.
• The extensive nature of the economy of the Soviet Union resulted in the transformation of this state into a banana republic. Only instead of bananas, the USSR exported oil and gas, and weapons, of course. Such dependence on world commodity markets was fraught. As soon as oil prices began to fall, the Union's economic system became shaky.
• The command and control system of management, built by Stalin, helped the USSR to defeat Hitlerism. However, in the long term, it led to a systemic economic crisis, bureaucratization of industrial life. An acquaintance told me how a new model was invented at a factory where steam locomotives were produced. They just took, for example, the lantern was outweighed from top to bottom - here's a new model of a steam locomotive for you!
• Also, the budget was constantly ruined by constant military conflicts and gratuitous aid to the countries participating in the socialist camp. The war in Afghanistan became a serious test for the entire Soviet society, which it was never able to overcome. The echoes of that war can still be heard.

All these reasons were internal. They were mainly due to the lack of flexibility in the Soviet leadership. It did not want to go beyond ideology. Conservative conservatism led to a lack of popular support for the regime. And when, during the years of perestroika, the authorities tried to lead these processes, they simply failed to do so. All this led.

External causes

These reasons usually include the influence of NATO countries and mainly the United States in the collapse of the Union. True, few people know and understand exactly what events led to this. Let's try to figure it out.

This war was constantly accompanied by an arms race, constant military conflicts in which both sides participated. However, the United States did manage to outwit the Soviet Union.

There is such a well-known historical anecdote when one dude spoke to the US Congress and said that he had invented a gravitational plane - an aircraft flying not on thrust, not gravity (?!). As a result, the Soviet military, when they found out about this, immediately gathered all the physicists and asked them for a gravity ticket! .. That is, the logic of victory in the Cold War was iron - look at the United States and do as they do. Is it okay that they could so easily manipulate the Soviet Union, forcing it to invest more and more funds in the arms race?

The story with the gravitational ticket ended merrily: the dude in Congress was paid $ 12 million, and he drove off to the beach. And the leading Soviet physicist joked: "Well, at least someone flew away on this gravitational flight!"

It would be funny if it weren't so sad. Indeed, in the 80s, the United States really managed (once again) to convince the USSR to spend huge amounts of money on weapons. They launched the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) program or otherwise called it "Star Wars". In the end, it turned out to be a dummy.

Opinions

Historians differ as to what factors were decisive in the collapse of the USSR. Here are some of them (by the way, you will not find anything like this in any such article on the Internet! Only on our website site):

• A.S. Barsenkov, in his doctoral dissertation "Gorbachev's reforms and the fate of the union state 1985 - 1991" considers the main culprit of the collapse - M.S. Gorbachev. After all, it was this character who conceived the new JIT (Union of Sovereign States), which de facto recognized the absence of the Soviet Union.
• D. A. Lukashevich in his dissertation "The collapse of the USSR: historical and legal research" draws a connection between the crisis of the CPSU party and, as a consequence, the collapse of the Union.
• Since 1993, the prevailing point of view in historiography is that the activities of the republican elite, as well as national separatist activists, are to blame for this event.
• Since the second half of the 90s, the "objectivist" revision has prevailed. Historians have tried to objectively comprehend the reasons for this process. One of the first such attempts was made by the well-known historian of Kievan Rus I.Ya. Froyanov in his book "Diving into the Abyss".

The rest of the materials are the opinions of historians, look here.

This article can hardly be considered complete. However, I'm sure you've got an idea of ​​the main reasons for the collapse (or collapse) of the Soviet Union. If you do not understand the terms "Cold War", "Velvet revolutions", "Socialist camp", etc., then I strongly recommend it. As part of the courses, we provide comprehensive material, as well as support (answers to questions and check the dz) of an experienced teacher. 90 points is the average result of our guys!

In March 1990, at an all-Union referendum, the majority of citizens spoke in favor of preserving the USSR and the need to reform it. By the summer of 1991, a new Union Treaty was prepared, which gave a chance to renew the federal state. But it was not possible to maintain unity.

At present, there is no single point of view among historians on what was the main reason for the collapse of the USSR, as well as on whether it was possible to prevent or at least stop the process of the collapse of the USSR. Possible reasons include the following:

· The USSR was created in 1922. as a federal state. However, over time, it increasingly turned into a state governed from the center and leveling the differences between the republics, subjects of federal relations. The problems of inter-republican and interethnic relations have been ignored for many years. During the years of perestroika, when interethnic conflicts became explosive and extremely dangerous, decision-making was postponed until 1990-1991. The accumulation of contradictions made disintegration inevitable;

The USSR was created on the basis of the recognition of the right of nations to self-determination, the federation was built not on a territorial, but on a national-territorial principle. In the Constitutions of 1924, 1936 and 1977. contained norms on the sovereignty of the republics that were part of the USSR. In the conditions of the growing crisis, these norms became a catalyst for centrifugal processes;

· The single national economic complex formed in the USSR ensured the economic integration of the republics. but as economic difficulties grew, economic ties began to break, the republics showed tendencies towards self-isolation, and the center was not ready for such a development of events;

· The Soviet political system was based on a rigid centralization of power, the real bearer of which was not so much the state as the Communist Party. The crisis of the CPSU, the loss of its leading role, its disintegration inevitably led to the disintegration of the country;

· The unity and integrity of the Union was largely ensured by its ideological unity. The crisis of the communist value system created a spiritual vacuum that was filled with nationalist ideas;

· political, economic, ideological crisis who experienced the USSR in the last years of its existence , led to the weakening of the center and the strengthening of the republics, their political elites... For economic, political and personal reasons, the national elites were interested not so much in the preservation of the USSR as in its disintegration. The 1990 "parade of sovereignties" clearly showed the sentiments and intentions of the national party and state elites.

Effects:

· The collapse of the USSR led to the emergence of independent sovereign states;

· The geopolitical situation in Europe and around the world has radically changed;

· The rupture of economic ties has become one of the main reasons for the deep economic crisis in Russia and other countries - the heirs of the USSR;

· Serious problems have arisen related to the fate of Russians who have remained outside Russia, and national minorities in general (the problem of refugees and migrants).

1. Political liberalization has led to an increase in the numberinformal groupings, since 1988 involved in political activities. Unions, associations and popular fronts of different directions (nationalist, patriotic, liberal, democratic, etc.) became the prototypes of future political parties. In the spring of 1988, the Democratic Bloc was formed, which included the European Communists, Social Democrats, and liberal groups.

An oppositional Interregional Deputy Group was formed in the Supreme Soviet. In January 1990, an opposition democratic platform took shape within the CPSU, and its members began to leave the party.

They began to form political parties. The CPSU's monopoly on power was lost, and from the middle of 1990 a rapid transition to a multi-party system began..

2. The collapse of the socialist camp (the "velvet revolution" in Czechoslovakia (1989), the events in Romania (1989), the unification of Germany and the disappearance of the GDR (1990), reforms in Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria.)

3. The growth of the nationalist movement, Its reasons were the deterioration of the economic situation in the national regions, the conflict of local authorities with the "center"). Clashes began on ethnic grounds, since 1987 national movements have acquired an organized character (the movement of the Crimean Tatars, the movement for the reunification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, the movement for the independence of the Baltic states, etc.)

In the same time a draft of a newUnion Treaty, significantly expanding the rights of the republics.

The idea of ​​a union treaty was put forward by the popular fronts of the Baltic republics back in 1988. The center adopted the idea of ​​a treaty later, when centrifugal tendencies were gaining strength and there was a "parade of sovereignties". The question of Russia's sovereignty was raised in June 1990 at the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation. Was the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation was adopted... This meant that the Soviet Union as a state entity was losing its main support.

The declaration formally delimited the powers of the center and the republic, which did not contradict the Constitution. In practice, she established dual power in the country..

The example of Russia strengthened the separatist tendencies in the union republics.

However, the indecisive and inconsistent actions of the country's central leadership did not lead to success. In April 1991, the Union Center and nine republics (with the exception of the Baltic, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova) signed documents that declared the provisions of the new union treaty. However, the situation was complicated by the outbreak of the struggle between the parliaments of the USSR and Russia, which turned into the war of laws.

In early April 1990, the Law was adopted On strengthening responsibility for encroachments on the national equality of citizens and violent violation of the unity of the territory of the USSR, which established criminal liability for public calls for the violent overthrow or change of the Soviet social and state system.

But almost at the same time it was adopted Law onprocedure for resolving issues related withthe exit of the union republic from the USSR, regulating the order and proceduresecession from the USSR throughreferendum. A legal way of leaving the Union was opened.

The Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in December 1990 voted to preserve the USSR.

However, the collapse of the USSR was already in full swing. In October 1990, at the congress of the Ukrainian Popular Front, the struggle for the independence of Ukraine was proclaimed; The parliament of Georgia, in which the nationalists won the majority, adopted a program for the transition to sovereign Georgia. Political tensions persisted in the Baltics.

In November 1990, the republics were offered a new version of the union treaty, in which, instead of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, it was mentionedUnion of Soviet Sovereign Republics.

But at the same time, bilateral agreements were signed between Russia and Ukraine, mutually recognizing each other's sovereignty regardless of the Center, between Russia and Kazakhstan. A parallel model of the union of republics was created.

4. In January 1991, monetary reform, aimed at combating the shadow economy, but caused additional tension in society. The population expressed dissatisfaction deficit food and essential goods.

B.N. Yeltsin demanded the resignation of the President of the USSR and the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

March was appointed referendum on the preservation of the USSR(opponents of the Union questioned its legitimacy, calling for the transfer of power to the Federation Council, consisting of the first persons of the republics). The majority of those who voted were in favor of preserving the USSR.

5. In early March, miners from Donbass, Kuzbass and Vorkuta went on strike, demanding the resignation of the President of the USSR, the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, a multi-party system, and the nationalization of the property of the CPSU. The official authorities could not stop the process that had begun.

The referendum on March 17, 1991 confirmed the political split in society, in addition, the sharp rise in prices increased social tensions and swelled the ranks of the strikers.

In June 1991, the elections of the President of the RSFSR were held. B.N. was elected. Yeltsin.

Discussions continued on the drafts of the new Union Treaty: some participants in the Novo-Ogarevo meeting insisted on confederal principles, others on federal... It was supposed to sign the agreement in July - August 1991.

During the negotiations, the republics managed to defend many of their demands: the Russian language ceased to be the state language, the heads of the republican governments participated in the work of the union cabinet of ministers with a decisive vote, the enterprises of the military-industrial complex were transferred to the joint jurisdiction of the Union and the republics.

Many questions about both the international and the intra-union status of the republics remained unresolved. The issues of union taxes and the management of natural resources, as well as the status of the six republics that did not sign the agreement, remained unclear. At the same time, the Central Asian republics concluded bilateral treaties among themselves, and Ukraine refrained from signing an agreement until the adoption of its Constitution.

In July 1991, the President of Russia signed Decree on departization, banned the activities of party organizations in enterprises and institutions.

6.August 19, 1991 created State Committee for the State of Emergency in the USSR (GKChP) , declared his intention to restore order in the country and prevent the collapse of the USSR. A state of emergency was declared, censorship was introduced. Armored vehicles appeared on the streets of the capital.

At the moment, there is no consensus on what the prerequisites for the collapse of the USSR are. However, most scientists agree that their beginnings were laid in the very ideology of the Bolsheviks, who, albeit in many respects formally, recognized the right of nations to self-determination. The weakening of the central government provoked the formation of new power centers on the outskirts of the state. It should be noted that similar processes took place at the very beginning of the 20th century, during the period of revolutions and the collapse of the Russian Empire.

In short, the reasons for the collapse of the USSR are as follows:

• the crisis provoked by the planned nature of the economy and led to a shortage of many consumer goods;
• unsuccessful, largely ill-considered, reforms that led to a sharp deterioration in living standards;
• massive public discontent with food supply interruptions;
• the growing gap in the standard of living between the citizens of the USSR and the citizens of the countries of the capitalist camp;
• aggravation of national contradictions;
• weakening of central authority;
• the authoritarian nature of Soviet society, including tough censorship, the ban on the church, and so on.

The processes that led to the collapse of the USSR were already evident in the 1980s. Against the background of the general crisis, which by the beginning of the 90s only deepened, there is an increase in nationalist tendencies in practically all union republics. The first to leave the USSR: Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. They are followed by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Ukraine.

The collapse of the USSR was the result of the events of August - December 1991. After the August putsch, the activities of the CPSU party in the country were suspended. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Congress of People's Deputies lost power. The last Congress in history was held in September 1991 and announced its self-dissolution. During this period, the State Council of the USSR became the supreme governing body, which was headed by Gorbachev, the first and only president of the USSR. The attempts he made in autumn and winter to prevent both the economic and political collapse of the USSR did not bring success. As a result, on December 8, 1991, after the signing of the Belovezhskaya Agreement by the heads of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. At the same time, the formation of the CIS - the Commonwealth of Independent States - took place. The collapse of the Soviet Union was the largest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century, with global consequences.

Here are just the main consequences of the collapse of the USSR:

A sharp decline in production in all countries of the former USSR and a drop in the standard of living of the population;

The territory of Russia has decreased by a quarter;

Access to seaports has become more difficult again;

The population of Russia has decreased - in fact by half;

The emergence of numerous national conflicts and the emergence of territorial claims between the former republics of the USSR;

Globalization began - the processes gradually gained momentum that turned the world into a single political, informational, economic system;

The world became unipolar, and the United States remained the only superpower.

The collapse of the USSR: causes and consequences

With the disappearance of the Soviet Union, the face of the whole world has changed dramatically. The collapse of the USSR took away an entire era that signified the hopes of part of the world's population for building a socially just society. On the other hand, this very era was marked by unprecedented military tensions, the threat of the use of nuclear weapons and the outbreak of a new world war, which would bring colossal damage on a planetary scale. However, we will return to the question of what the world received in return later.

The collapse of the USSR. Causes

Modern researchers of the issue identify a number of reasons that led to the collapse of the entire socialist camp and the Union in particular. The collapse of the USSR was provoked by the following:

1. A cumbersome and insufficiently effective management system based on rigid centralization of power. In recent decades, socialist governance has led to prolonged economic stagnation, which in turn contributed to the collapse of the political system.

2. Disproportionate economic development, when the lion's share of the budget went to the heavy and defense industries, and the necessary consumer goods were in short supply. In the eighties, this resulted in a large-scale shortage of everyday products, which caused discontent among the population.

3. The centralization of political power in Moscow and the dominant position of the Russian-speaking culture also stimulated the discontent of the national republics and their leadership. As a result, with the first indulgences by the hands of these republics, the collapse of the USSR was carried out.

4. Subversive work of Western intelligence services, as well as the defeat of the USSR in the war for prestige. Soviet citizens at the decisive moment reacted with sympathy for capitalist values ​​and showed a desire to adopt them.

5. The unsuccessful Afghan war, a series of man-made disasters and failed reforms shattered popular confidence in the Soviet regime. The fact that such incidents were hushed up completely lowered the level of trust. The previously unknown facts about the so-called Holodomor and some other actions of the authorities, discovered in the eighties, made their contribution.

The collapse of the USSR and its consequences

For the republics of the Union and most of the countries of the socialist camp, its collapse meant the collapse of state economies, often accompanied by hyperinflation, a rapid drop in living standards, and the collapse of state structures, including educational, industrial, and military. In addition, these states have now been drawn with renewed vigor into the process of globalization, that is, large-scale sales markets have opened here, primarily for Western corporations. In the long term, the collapse of the USSR for the former Soviet republics meant the need to look for a new political course, as well as new geopolitical partners. On a more global scale, the end of the Cold War meant that only one superpower remained, capable of imposing its interests on the rest of the world in all its regions, dictating its own conditions in relation to local governments and political regimes.

Sources: historykratko.com, www.syl.ru, osemta.ru

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