The Soviet Union faced numerous internal problems that contributed to its collapse, including nationalism and ethnic diversity with over 100 ethnic groups within its borders, worker morale declined as shortages increased standard of living, and Gorbachev's reforms of glasnost and perestroika opened up criticism of the government and decentralization but did not do enough to solve economic issues. An attempted coup by communist hardliners in 1991 failed when people resisted, and soon after the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 independent republics, bringing an end to 74 years of Soviet rule.

2. Numerous ethnic groups – languages, customs, religions.
Only half of 285 million were Russian
Difficult to unite into one nation without fear or force
Nationalism was stronger than communism – people
wanted to rule themselves
Long Term Reasons: Internal Problems
NATIONALISM AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY

3. WORKER MORALE
Lack of motivation to produce quality goods
Workers were not given enough to buy basic goods
Many workers became alcoholics – crime rate increased
Mortality rate, divorce rate, inflation, corruption increased
Standard of living declined
Workers were now allowed to criticize the government
FOOD SHORTAGES
Economic reforms were not enough –
1990 rationing
Food was scarce and prices were too
high
Long lines for simple goods
Riots broke out
Mass poverty existed
Began import of grain from US and
Canada
Long Term Reasons: Internal Problems

4. Glasnost
Glasnost means Openness.
• It allowed free flow of ideas, no
censorship
• Religious freedom
• Public criticism of gov’t
• Contested elections (secret
ballots)
• Release of political prisoners
• Books freely printed
“Socialism with a
Human Face”
Short Term Reasons: Internal Problems

5. PERESTROIKA
Allowed the following:
• Some private property
• Some small business – profits
• Some Free trade
• Local managers more control
and authority over farms and
factories
Film
Decentralization of
economic control
Means Restructuring

6. McDonalds in
Moscow

7. •Arms Race was too costly
•Conflicts were costly (Afghanistan 1979)
•Total employment – no goods
•National healthcare – poor coverage
•Pressure from Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan
“Evil Empire” – Star Wars plan
COST OF THE WAR GLOBAL PRESSURE

8. ATTEMPTED COUP
- High level officials (communist hard-liners) wanted Gorbachev to resign in 1991
- He refused – the group staged a coup in Moscow by placing Gorbachev under
house arrest and sent tanks into Moscow to seize control.
Attempted Coup

9. • Boris Yeltsin called to the people to resist the coup and gained the support of the military
• The Coup was foiled and the USSR soon split into 15 republics – the CIS
Attempted Coup

10. Attempted Coup Fails

11. How did Gorbachev’s policies eventually lead to the
downfall of his own leadership and the Soviet Union

12. End of the
Soviet
Union
Gorbachev was
forced to resign.
He was the leader
of a country that
no longer existed.
After 74 years, the
Soviet Union had
collapsed. The
Cold War was
over.
Gorbachev was
forced to resign.
He was the leader
of a country that
no longer existed.
After 74 years, the
Soviet Union had
collapsed. The
Cold War was
over.

13. End of the Soviet
Union

14. Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS)

15. 1. European Economic Community: Economic unity – reduced tariffs, free movement
of
labor and investments
2. 1993 – Becomes European Union (EU)
1. European Economic Community: Economic unity – reduced tariffs, free movement
of
labor and investments
2. 1993 – Becomes European Union (EU)
Post Cold War

16. Not an Easy
Transition

17. End of Communism?

18. Not an Easy
Transition