The Renaissance was characterized by the union of art and... Renaissance (briefly)

TASS-DOSSIER /Kirill Titov/. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, formed in 1922, was created by the leadership of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) as the basis for the future world revolution. The declaration of its formation stated that the Union would be “a decisive step towards uniting the working people of all countries into the World Socialist Soviet Republic.”

To attract to the USSR as much as possible more socialist republics in the first Soviet constitution (and all subsequent ones), each of them was assigned the right to freely withdraw from Soviet Union. In particular, in the last Basic Law of the USSR - the Constitution of 1977 - this norm was enshrined in Article 72. Since 1956, the Soviet state included 15 union republics.

Reasons for the collapse of the USSR

From a legal point of view, the USSR was an asymmetrical federation (its subjects had different statuses) with elements of a confederation. At the same time, the union republics were in an unequal position. In particular, the RSFSR did not have its own Communist Party or Academy of Sciences; the republic was also the main donor of financial, material and human resources for the other members of the Union.

Unity of the Soviet state system provided by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). It was built on a strict hierarchical principle and duplicated everything government bodies Union. In Article 6 of the Basic Law of the USSR of 1977, the Communist Party was assigned the status of “the leading and directing force of Soviet society, the core of its political system, state and public organizations.”

By the 1980s The USSR found itself in a state of systemic crisis. A significant part of the population has lost faith in the dogmas of the officially declared communist ideology. The economic and technological lag of the USSR from Western states. As a result national policy Soviet power In the union and autonomous republics of the USSR, independent national elites were formed.

An attempt to reform the political system during perestroika 1985–1991. led to the aggravation of all existing contradictions. In 1988–1990 On the initiative of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Gorbachev, the role of the CPSU was significantly weakened.

In 1988, the reduction of the party apparatus began, a reform was carried out electoral system. In 1990, the constitution was changed and Article 6 was eliminated, as a result of which the CPSU was completely separated from the state. At the same time, inter-republican relations were not subject to revision, which led, against the backdrop of weakening party structures, to a sharp increase in separatism in the union republics.

According to a number of researchers, one of the key decisions during this period was Mikhail Gorbachev’s refusal to equalize the status of the RSFSR with other republics. As Assistant Secretary General Anatoly Chernyaev recalled, Gorbachev “ironly” stood against the creation of the Communist Party of the RSFSR and the granting of full status to the Russian republic.” Such a measure, according to a number of historians, could contribute to the unification of Russian and allied structures and ultimately preserve a single state.

Interethnic clashes

During the years of perestroika in the USSR, the interethnic relations. In 1986, major interethnic clashes occurred in Yakutsk and Alma-Ata (Kazakh SSR, now Kazakhstan). In 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began, during which the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region populated by Armenians announced its secession from the Azerbaijan SSR. This was followed by the Armenian-Azerbaijani armed conflict. In 1989, clashes began in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, South Ossetia, etc. By mid-1990, more than 600 thousand citizens of the USSR became refugees or internally displaced persons.

"Parade of Sovereignties"

In 1988, a movement for independence began in the Baltic states. It was led by the “popular fronts” - mass movements created with the permission of the Union authorities in support of perestroika.

On November 16, 1988, the Supreme Council (SC) of the Estonian SSR adopted a declaration on the state sovereignty of the republic and introduced changes to the republican constitution, which made it possible to suspend the operation of union laws on the territory of the Estonia. On May 26 and July 28, 1989, similar acts were adopted by the Armed Forces of the Lithuanian and Latvian SSR. On March 11 and 30, 1990, the Armed Forces of Lithuania and Estonia adopted laws on the restoration of their own independent states, and on May 4, the Parliament of Latvia approved the same act.

On September 23, 1989, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR adopted a constitutional law on the state sovereignty of the republic. During 1990, similar acts were adopted by all other union republics.

Law on the withdrawal of union republics from the USSR

On April 3, 1990, the USSR Supreme Council adopted the law “On the procedure for resolving issues related to the withdrawal of a union republic from the USSR.” According to the document, such a decision was to be made through a referendum appointed by the local legislative body. Moreover, in a union republic that included autonomous republics, regions and districts, a plebiscite had to be held separately for each autonomy.

A decision to withdraw was considered legitimate if it was supported by at least two-thirds of voters. Issues of the status of allied military facilities, enterprises, financial and credit relations of the republic with the center were subject to settlement during a transition period of five years. In practice, the provisions of this law were not implemented.

Proclamation of the sovereignty of the RSFSR

The Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR was adopted on June 12, 1990 by the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Republic. In the second half of 1990, the leadership of the RSFSR, headed by Chairman of the Supreme Council Boris Yeltsin, significantly expanded the powers of the government, ministries and departments of the RSFSR. Enterprises, branches of union banks, etc. located on its territory were declared the property of the republic.

The Declaration of Russian sovereignty was adopted not to destroy the Union, but to stop the withdrawal of autonomies from the RSFSR. The autonomization plan was developed by the CPSU Central Committee in order to weaken the RSFSR and Yeltsin, and envisaged giving all autonomies the status of union republics. For the RSFSR, this meant the loss of half of its territory, almost 20 million people and most of its natural resources.

Sergey Shakhrai

in 1991 - advisor to Boris Yeltsin

On December 24, 1990, the Supreme Council of the RSFSR adopted a law according to which Russian authorities could suspend the effect of union acts “if they violate the sovereignty of the RSFSR.” It was also stipulated that all decisions of the authorities of the USSR would come into force on the territory of the Russian republic only after their ratification by its Supreme Council. At a referendum on March 17, 1991, the post of president of the republic was introduced in the RSFSR (Boris Yeltsin was elected on June 12, 1991). In May 1991, its own special service was created - the State Security Committee (KGB) of the RSFSR.

New Union Treaty

At the last, XXVIII Congress of the CPSU on July 2–13, 1990, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev announced the need to sign a new Union Treaty. On December 3, 1990, the USSR Supreme Council supported the project proposed by Gorbachev. The document provided for a new concept of the USSR: each republic included in its composition received the status of a sovereign state. The allied authorities retained a narrow scope of powers: organizing defense and ensuring state security, developing and implementing foreign policy, economic development strategies, etc.

On December 17, 1990, at the IV Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev proposed “to hold a referendum throughout the country so that every citizen would speak for or against the Union of Sovereign States on a federal basis.” Nine of the 15 union republics took part in the vote on March 17, 1991: the RSFSR, the Ukrainian, Belarusian, Uzbek, Azerbaijan, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik and Turkmen SSR. The authorities of Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Estonia refused to hold a vote. 80% of citizens who had the right to do so took part in the referendum. 76.4% of voters were in favor of preserving the Union, 21.7% were against.

As a result of the plebiscite, it was developed new project Union Treaty. On its basis, from April 23 to July 23, 1991, at the residence of the USSR President in Novo-Ogarevo, negotiations were held between Mikhail Gorbachev and the presidents of nine of the 15 union republics (RSFSR, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Uzbek, Azerbaijan, Tajik, Kyrgyz and Turkmen USSR) on the creation of the Union of Sovereign States. They were called the “Novo-Ogarevo process”. According to the agreement, the abbreviation “USSR” in the name of the new federation was to be retained, but stand for “Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics.” In July 1991, the negotiators approved the draft agreement as a whole and scheduled its signing for the time of the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in September-October 1991.

On July 29–30, Mikhail Gorbachev held closed meetings with the leaders of the RSFSR and Kazakh SSR Boris Yeltsin and Nursultan Nazarbayev, during which he agreed to postpone the signing of the document to August 20. The decision was caused by fears that the USSR people's deputies would vote against the treaty, which envisaged the creation of a de facto confederal state in which most powers were transferred to the republics. Gorbachev also agreed to fire a number of senior managers USSR, who had a negative attitude towards the “Novo-Ogarevo process”, in particular, Vice-President of the USSR Gennady Yanaev, Prime Minister Valentin Pavlov and others.

On August 2, Gorbachev spoke on Central Television, where he stated that on August 20, the new Union Treaty would be signed by the RSFSR, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and the remaining republics would do this “at certain intervals.” The text of the treaty was published for public discussion only on August 16, 1991.

August putsch

On the night of August 18-19, a group of eight senior leaders of the USSR (Gennady Yanaev, Valentin Pavlov, Dmitry Yazov, Vladimir Kryuchkov, etc.) formed the State Committee for a State of Emergency (GKChP).

In order to prevent the signing of the Union Treaty, which, in their opinion, would lead to the collapse of the USSR, members of the State Emergency Committee tried to remove USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev from power and introduced a state of emergency in the country. However, the leaders of the State Emergency Committee did not dare to use force. On August 21, Vice President of the USSR Yanaev signed a decree dissolving the State Emergency Committee and invalidating all its decisions. On the same day, the act of canceling the orders of the State Emergency Committee was issued by the President of the RSFSR, Boris Yeltsin, and the prosecutor of the republic, Valentin Stepankov, issued an order to arrest its members.

Dismantling of government structures of the USSR

After the events of August 1991, the union republics, whose leaders participated in the negotiations in Novo-Ogarevo, declared their independence (August 24 - Ukraine, 30th - Azerbaijan, 31st - Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the rest - in September-December 1991 G.). On August 23, 1991, President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin signed a decree “On the suspension of the activities of the Communist Party of the RSFSR”, all property of the CPSU and the Communist Party of the RSFSR in Russia was nationalized. On August 24, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

On September 2, 1991, the Izvestia newspaper published a statement by the President of the USSR and senior leaders of 10 union republics. It spoke of the need to “prepare and sign by all willing republics a Treaty on the Union of Sovereign States” and to create union coordinating governing bodies for the “transition period.”

On September 2–5, 1991, the V Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR (the highest authority in the country) took place in Moscow. On the last day of the meetings, the law “On Bodies of State Power and Administration of the USSR in the Transitional Period” was adopted, according to which the Congress dissolved itself and all state power was transferred to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

As a temporary body of the highest union administration, “for the coordinated resolution of issues of domestic and foreign policy,” the State Council of the USSR was established, consisting of the President of the USSR and the heads of the RSFSR, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. At meetings of the State Council, discussions continued on the new Union Treaty, which in the end was never signed.

The law also liquidated the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR and abolished the post of vice-president of the Soviet Union. The Interrepublican Economic Committee (IEC) of the USSR, headed by the former chairman of the government of the RSFSR Ivan Silaev, became the equivalent of the union government. The activities of the IEC on the territory of the RSFSR were terminated on December 19, 1991, its structures were finally liquidated on January 2, 1992.

On September 6, 1991, in contradiction with the current Constitution of the USSR and the law on the withdrawal of union republics from the Union, the State Council recognized the independence of the Baltic republics.

On October 18, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev and the leaders of eight union republics (excluding Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan) signed the Treaty on the Economic Community of Sovereign States. The document recognized that “independent states” are “former subjects of the USSR”; assumed the division of the all-Union gold reserves, the Diamond and Monetary Fund; maintaining the ruble as a common currency, with the possibility of introducing national currencies; liquidation of the State Bank of the USSR, etc.

On October 22, 1991, a resolution was issued by the State Council of the USSR on the abolition of the union KGB. On its basis, it was ordered to create the Central Intelligence Service (CSR) of the USSR ( foreign intelligence, based on the First Main Directorate), the Inter-Republican Security Service (internal security) and the Security Committee state border. The KGB of the union republics were transferred “to the exclusive jurisdiction of sovereign states.” The all-Union intelligence service was finally liquidated on December 3, 1991.

On November 14, 1991, the State Council adopted a resolution to liquidate all ministries and other central bodies government controlled USSR since December 1, 1991. On the same day, the heads of seven union republics (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, RSFSR, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to sign a new Union Treaty on December 9, according to which the Union of Sovereign States would be formed as a "confederal democratic state". Azerbaijan and Ukraine refused to join it.

Liquidation of the USSR and creation of the CIS

On December 1, a referendum on independence was held in Ukraine (90.32% of those who took part in the vote were in favor). On December 3, RSFSR President Boris Yeltsin announced recognition of this decision.

Even already in Viskuli, even two hours before the signing of what we signed, I did not feel that the USSR would be broken. I lived within the myth of the great Soviet empire. I understood that if there were nuclear weapons, no one would attack the USSR. And without such an attack, nothing will happen. I thought the transformation of the political system would happen much more smoothly

Stanislav Shushkevich

in 1991 - Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Belarusian SSR

On December 8, 1991, the leaders of the RSFSR, Ukraine and Belarus Boris Yeltsin, Leonid Kravchuk and Stanislav Shushkevich at the government residence of Viskuli (Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus) signed an Agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the dissolution of the USSR. On December 10, the document was ratified by the Supreme Councils of Ukraine and Belarus. On December 12, a similar act was adopted by the Russian parliament. According to the document, to the sphere joint activities members of the CIS included: coordination of foreign policy activities; cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, pan-European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy; cooperation in the field of protection environment; migration policy issues; fight against organized crime.

On December 21, 1991, in Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), 11 leaders of the former Soviet republics signed a declaration on the goals and principles of the CIS, its foundations. The Declaration confirmed the Bialowieza Agreement, indicating that with the formation of the CIS, the USSR ceases to exist.

On December 25, 1991 at 19:00 Moscow time, Mikhail Gorbachev spoke live on Central Television and announced the termination of his activities as President of the USSR. On the same day, the flagpole of the Moscow Kremlin was lowered state flag USSR and the state flag of the Russian Federation was raised.

On December 26, 1991, the Council of Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a declaration which stated that in connection with the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the USSR as a state and a subject of international law ceases to exist.

The Soviet Union was dissolved December 26, 1991. This was announced in Declaration No. 142-N issued by the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union. The Declaration recognized the independence of the former Soviet republics and created the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), although five of its signatories ratified it much later or did not do so at all.

The day before, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned and transferred his powers, including control over the launch codes of Soviet nuclear missiles, to Russian President Boris Yeltsin. That same evening at 7:32 the Soviet flag was replaced by the pre-revolutionary Russian flag.

A week before the official termination Union of 11 republics signed the Alma-Ata Protocol, which formally created the CIS. The collapse of the USSR also marked end cold war .

Some of the republics have maintained close ties with the Russian Federation and have created multilateral organizations, such as:

• Eurasian Economic Community;
• Union State;
• Eurasian Customs Union and Eurasian Economic Union.

On the other hand, the Baltic countries have joined NATO and the European Union.

Spring 1989 The people of the Soviet Union, in a democratic choice, albeit limited, for the first time since 1917, elected a new Congress of People's Deputies. This example prompted the events that began to occur in Poland. The communist government in Warsaw was overthrown, which in turn sparked coups that overthrew communism in the other five Warsaw Pact countries before the end of 1989. Was demolished Berlin Wall.

These events showed that people of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union did not support Gorbachev’s desire to modernize the communist system.

October 25, 1989 The Supreme Council voted to expand the power of the republics in local elections, allowing them to decide for themselves how to organize voting. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have already proposed laws on direct presidential elections. Local elections in all republics were scheduled for the period from December to March 1990.

In December 1989 The Congress of People's Deputies took place and Gorbachev signed the report of the Yakovlev Commission condemning the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

The constituent republics of the union began to declare their national sovereignty and “war of laws” with the central government of Moscow; they rejected national legislation that conflicted with local laws, asserted control over the local economy, and refused to pay taxes. These processes began to occur everywhere and simultaneously.

Rivalry between the USSR and the RSFSR

March 4, 1990 The RSFSR Republic held relatively free elections. Boris Yeltsin was elected representing Sverdlovsk with 72 percent of the vote. On May 29, 1990, Yeltsin was elected chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, despite the fact that Gorbachev asked Russian deputies not to vote for him.

Yeltsin was supported by democratic and conservative members of the Supreme Soviet, who were seeking power in the evolving political situation. A new struggle for power arose between the RSFSR and the Soviet Union. On July 12, 1990, Yeltsin resigned from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in a dramatic speech at the 28th Congress.

Lithuania

11th of March The newly elected parliament of the Lithuanian SSR proclaimed the Law on the Restoration of Lithuania, making it the first republic to separate from the USSR.

Estonia

March 30, 1990 Estonia declared the Soviet occupation of Estonia after World War II illegal and began to restore Estonia as an independent state.

Latvia

Latvia announced the restoration of independence May 4, 1990 with a declaration providing for a transition period for full independence.

Ukraine

July 16, 1990 Parliament overwhelmingly approved the Declaration of Sovereignty of Ukraine - 355 votes and four against. MPs voted 339–5 to declare July 16 national holiday Ukraine.

March 17, 1991 In the All-Union referendum, 76.4 percent of people were in favor of preserving the Soviet Union. Boycotted the referendum:

• Baltic republics;
• Armenia;
• Georgia;
• Moldova;
• Checheno-Ingushetia.

In each of the remaining nine republics, a majority of voters supported maintaining the reformed Soviet Union.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the attempted coup

June 12, 1991 Boris Yeltsin won democratic elections, defeating Gorbachev's preferred candidate, Nikolai Ryzhkov. After Yeltsin's election to the presidency, Russia declared itself independent.

Faced with growing separatism, Gorbachev sought to rebuild the Soviet Union into a less centralized state. On August 20, 1991, the Russian SSR was supposed to sign a union treaty that would turn the Soviet Union into a federation. This was strongly supported by the republics Central Asia who needed the economic benefits of the common market to prosper. However, this would mean some degree of continuation of the Communist Party over the economic and social life.

More radical reformists increasingly convinced of the need quick transition towards a market economy, even if the end result meant the collapse of the Soviet Union into several independent states. Independence also suited Yeltsin's wishes, as well as regional and local authorities authorities will get rid of Moscow's large-scale control.

In contrast to the warm reaction of the reformers to the treaty, the conservatives, "patriots" and Russian nationalists of the USSR, still strong within the CPSU and the military, opposed the weakening of the Soviet state and its centralized power structure.

August 19, 1991 years, high-ranking officials of the USSR formed the “General Committee for emergency situations" The leaders of the coup issued an emergency decree suspending political activity and banning most newspapers.

The coup organizers expected public support, but found that public opinion V major cities and the republics were mostly against them. This manifested itself in public demonstrations, especially in Moscow. RSFSR President Yeltsin condemned the coup and received popular support.

After three days, August 21, 1991, the coup collapsed. The organizers were detained, and Gorbachev was restored as president, although his power was greatly shaken.

August 24, 1991 Gorbachev dissolved the Central Committee of the CPSU, resigned as the party's general secretary and dissolved all party units in the government. Five days later, the Supreme Council indefinitely suspended all activities of the CPSU on Soviet territory, effectively ending communist rule in the Soviet Union and destroying the only remaining unifying force in the country.

In what year did the USSR collapse

Between August and December, 10 republics declared their independence, largely out of fear of another coup. By the end of September, Gorbachev no longer had the authority to influence events outside Moscow.

September 17, 1991 General Assembly resolutions 46/4, 46/5 and 46/6 recognized Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as members of the United Nations in accordance with Security Council resolutions No. 709, 710 and 711, adopted on 12 September without a vote.

The final round of the collapse of the Soviet Union began with a popular referendum in Ukraine on December 1, 1991, in which 90 percent of voters chose independence. The events that took place in Ukraine destroyed any real chances Gorbachev to preserve the USSR even on a limited scale. The leaders of the three main Slavic republics: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus agreed to discuss possible alternatives to the USSR.

December 8 The leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus met secretly in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, in western Belarus, and signed a document that stated that the USSR had ceased to exist and announced the creation of the CIS. They also invited other republics to join the CIS. Gorbachev called it an unconstitutional coup.

Doubts remained as to whether the Bialowieza Agreement was legal, since it was signed by only three republics. However, on December 21, 1991, representatives of 11 of the 12 remaining republics, except Georgia, signed a protocol that confirmed the dissolution of the Union and officially formed the CIS.

On the night of December 25, at 19:32 Moscow time, after Gorbachev left the Kremlin, the Soviet flag was lowered into last time and in its place the Russian tricolor was raised, symbolically signifying the end of the Soviet Union.

That same day, United States President George W. Bush made a short televised speech officially recognizing the independence of the 11 remaining republics.

Alma-Ata Protocol also touched on other issues, including UN membership. Notably, Russia was authorized to accept membership of the Soviet Union, including its permanent seat on the Security Council. Soviet Ambassador at the UN sent a letter to the UN Secretary General dated December 24, 1991, signed by Russian President Yeltsin, informing him that by virtue of the Alma-Ata Protocol, Russia had become the successor state of the USSR.

After being circulated to other UN member states without objection, the statement was declared accepted on the last day of the year, December 31, 1991.

Additional Information

According to a 2014 survey, 57 percent of Russian citizens regretted the collapse of the Soviet Union. Fifty percent of respondents in Ukraine in a February 2005 survey said they also regretted the collapse of the USSR.

Decay economic ties, which occurred during the collapse of the Soviet Union, led to a serious economic crisis and a rapid decline in living standards in the post-Soviet states and the former Eastern Bloc.

Membership in the United Nations

In a letter dated December 24, 1991 President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin informed the Secretary General of the United Nations that membership in UN bodies continues Russian Federation with the support of 11 member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Belarus and Ukraine by this time were already members of the UN.

Other twelve independent states, created from former Soviet republics, were also admitted to the UN:

• 17 September 1991: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;
• March 2, 1992: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan;
• July 31, 1992: Georgia.

Video

From the video you will learn about the reasons for the collapse of the USSR.

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The Soviet Union is a state that was legally formed in 1922 and existed for just under 70 years. In December 1991, it was officially liquidated by the denunciation of the union treaty. The way the collapse of the USSR took place, the causes and consequences of this process are relevant for our time.

How it all began?

To understand why the USSR collapsed, we need to look at the history of its origins. It emerged as a result of the victory of the red communist forces in the civil war, which, in turn, required the revival of a full-fledged public education, built not on the Bolshevik slogan of world revolution, but on the need to preserve the gains made. It was necessary to revive and develop industry, agriculture, education, management structures, and establish normal peaceful life for citizens.

This required combining the resources of all those territories that were previously part of Russian Empire(with the exception of part of the Polish lands and Finland) and already had experience of coexistence. This also ensured the solution of complex foreign policy problems for the country of “victorious socialism,” which at that moment was in diplomatic isolation, was experiencing military pressure from former allies and could only rely on its own strength to ensure its development.

The Soviet Union was legally created as a federal state entity with the declared sovereignty of the republics included in it, which gave them the right to secede from this common state. However, in fact, it represented a unitary model with a rigid vertical power structure, based on Marxist ideology.

Economic reasons for the collapse of the USSR

When discussing the question of what are the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR, they most often list the acute economic problems that it experienced.

• The main one is considered to be the so-called “resource trap”: the presence of significant reserves of raw materials, primarily oil and gas, in demand on the foreign market has led to the predominance of an extensive type of economic development of the country, its technological backwardness and dependence on energy prices on the world market. The economic crisis of the second half of the 1980s led to a sharp decrease in energy consumption and provoked turbulence in the Soviet socio-economic system, more than half of whose income was generated by the export of oil and gas. Thus, a shortage of resources arose and difficulties arose with the state fulfilling its obligations.

• Since the Soviet Union was one of two superpowers in a bipolar system international relations, then he bore a very significant burden associated with maintaining the viability of the so-called world system of socialism and part of the developing countries of the third world. This required a lot large resources, which by the end of the 1980s were exhausted.
• The main branch of the Soviet economy was the so-called military-industrial complex, which ensured the defense capability of not only the USSR, but also the Warsaw Pact countries. In the conditions of the Cold War and the arms race, this led to a disproportionality in the economic system, which was focused on the priority development of the military industry to the detriment of other sectors of the economy. By the end of its existence, the USSR actually no longer had the resources to ensure parity with the United States in the military-technical field, especially taking into account the SDI program that was unfolding at that time.
• The planned economy built in the USSR was unable to fully resolve the issue of supplying the population with goods necessary for everyday life. Permanent shortage of what a person needs every day, including food, their low quality, queues for the most necessary things gave rise, on the one hand, to the emergence of a shadow economy and the black market, and on the other, a loss of trust in the authorities, which were unable to solve these problems. The lag in the level and quality of life from European countries, self-isolation from the outside world caused legitimate discontent among the majority of the population.

It is likely that all these problems, now considered as socio-economic reasons for the collapse of the USSR, could be resolved. However, perestroika started by M.S. Gorbachev in 1985, did not contain adequate ways to develop national production and improve the life of the country's population.

Video about the reasons for the collapse of the USSR

A set of other reasons for the collapse of the USSR

By the end of its existence, the Soviet Union had accumulated serious problems that were not limited to economic difficulties, which became driving force the collapse of this state model.

• The partocratic conservative governance of the country, which emerged during the Brezhnev era, had stereotypical thinking, was unable to appreciate the challenges of our time and, as a result, rejected the possibility of modernizing the Soviet system. Perestroika was an attempt to overcome accumulated difficulties, but since it was not a precisely calibrated strategy for national development, it ultimately only further destabilized the situation.
• The reason for the collapse of the USSR is the sharp growth of the bureaucratic system, which ultimately led to the loss of its effectiveness. At the end of the Brezhnev era, the number of central ministries reached 70. To these should be added 24 state committees and an equally cumbersome apparatus in each of the republics. With Gorbachev coming to power, the administrative apparatus was cut in half. As a result, a serious institutional problem arose: if under Brezhnev management was clumsy due to excessive bureaucratization, then under Gorbachev a functional crisis arose when some important areas were actually left without management.
• The monoideology of Marxism, elevated to dogma, censorship in the media and refusal to accept other ideological concepts led to self-isolation during the Brezhnev era. The “new thinking” proposed by Gorbachev did not mean a rejection of Marxism as the leading ideological system, but demanded greater openness towards the world. In fact, it resulted in sharp criticism of the country’s past, a rejection of pride in its achievements and an uncritical perception of the West, which, as it seemed then, was ready for equal cooperation with the USSR.

• Accumulated national problems, expressed in the centrifugal aspirations of the union republics (parade of sovereignties) and the emergence of a series of national conflicts (Nagorno-Karabakh, Georgian-Abkhaz conflict). The failure to sign a new union treaty and the State Emergency Committee led to the final collapse of the Soviet Union.

Consequences of the collapse of the USSR

The consequences of the collapse of the USSR are systemic in nature and affect both domestic and international aspects.

As a result of the Belovezhskaya Accords of 1991, 15 new sovereign states appeared on the world map, but only the USSR became the legal successor Russian Federation. There was a collapse of the single economic space, the ruble zone, and the armed forces, which negatively affected all new state formations. There was also a humanitarian catastrophe associated with the severance of family and kinship ties, the flow of refugees from those republics where local elites began a war for power, which turned into a civil confrontation.

The Russian Federation has declared a course towards a market economy and democratization of the political system. The reforms launched under the leadership of President Boris Yeltsin were carried out on the basis of recommendations from the Western partners of the Russian Federation in the form of the so-called “ shock therapy" They led to the destruction of national production, external economic dependence and the actual loss of economic sovereignty. The sharp impoverishment of the population gave rise to acute social confrontation, which resulted in the conflict of 1993.

Video about the causes and consequences of the collapse of the USSR

National problems were not resolved, and the issue of the possible collapse of the Russian Federation was on the agenda. Tatarstan and Chechnya made claims to state sovereignty. This resulted in a long-term armed conflict - the first and second Chechen wars.

The Russian Federation lost its position as a superpower in international affairs and began to build its foreign policy line in full agreement with the opinion of the United States. The destruction of the bipolar system provoked increased international tension and intensified military conflicts, which for the first time since 1945 affected Europe (Yugoslavia).

The collapse of the USSR and education CIS actually confirmed the idea of ​​the Prussian “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck, who believed that Russia could not be eliminated as a result of a military takeover, since it has a unique ability to unite and self-heal. Bismarck believed that it could only be self-destructed as a result of degenerative processes occurring within the country. This statement was fully confirmed by the Soviet Union.

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At the current stage of development of the Russian Federation and neighboring states that are receivers former USSR, there are many political, economic and cultural problems. Their solution is impossible without a thorough analysis of the events associated with the process of collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This article contains clear and structured information about the collapse of the USSR, as well as an analysis of events and personalities directly related to this process.

Brief background

The years of the USSR are a story of victories and defeats, economic rise and fall. It is known that the Soviet Union as a state was formed in 1922. After this, as a result of many political and military events, its territory increased. The peoples and republics that were part of the USSR had the right to voluntarily secede from it. Repeatedly, the country's ideology has emphasized the fact that Soviet state is a family of friendly nations.

Regarding the leadership of such a huge country, it is not difficult to predict that it was centralized. The main body of government was the CPSU party. And the leaders of republican governments were appointed by the central Moscow leadership. The main legislative act regulating the legal situation in the country was the Constitution of the USSR.

Reasons for the collapse of the USSR

Many powerful countries are going through difficult times in their development. Speaking about the collapse of the USSR, it should be noted that 1991 was a very difficult and contradictory year in the history of our state. What contributed to this? The reasons that caused the collapse of the USSR can be identified great amount. Let's try to dwell on the main ones:

• authoritarianism of government and society in the state, persecution of dissidents;
• nationalist tendencies in the union republics, the presence of interethnic conflicts in the country;
• one state ideology, censorship, ban on any political alternative;
• economic crisis of the Soviet production system (extensive method);
• international fall in oil prices;
• a number of unsuccessful attempts to reform the Soviet system;
• colossal centralization of government bodies;
• military failure in Afghanistan (1989).

These, of course, are not all the reasons for the collapse of the USSR, but they can rightfully be considered fundamental.

The collapse of the USSR: the general course of events

With the appointment of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to the post of General Secretary of the CPSU in 1985, the policy of perestroika began, which was associated with sharp criticism of the previous government system, the disclosure of KGB archival documents and liberalization public life. But the situation in the country not only did not change, but also worsened. The people became more active politically, and the formation of many organizations and movements, sometimes nationalistic and radical, began. M. S. Gorbachev, President of the USSR, repeatedly came into conflict with the future leader of the country, B. Yeltsin, over the withdrawal of the RSFSR from the Union.

National crisis

The collapse of the USSR occurred gradually in all sectors of society. The crisis has come, both economically and foreign policy, and even demographically. This was officially announced in 1989.

In the year of the collapse of the USSR, the eternal problem of Soviet society - a commodity shortage - became apparent. Even essential products are disappearing from store shelves.

Softness in the country's foreign policy results in the fall of regimes loyal to the USSR in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Romania. New national states are being formed there.

It was also quite turbulent within the country itself. Mass demonstrations begin in the union republics (demonstration in Almaty, the Karabakh conflict, unrest in the Fergana Valley).

There are also rallies in Moscow and Leningrad. The crisis in the country plays into the hands of the radical democrats, led by Boris Yeltsin. They are gaining popularity among the dissatisfied masses.

Parade of sovereignties

In early February 1990, the Party's Central Committee announced the annulment of its dominance in power. Democratic elections were held in the RSFSR and the Union republics, in which radical political forces in the form of liberals and nationalists won.

In 1990 and early 1991, a wave of protests swept across the Soviet Union, which historians later called the “parade of sovereignties.” During this period, many of the union republics adopted Declarations of Sovereignty, which meant the supremacy of republican law over the all-Union law.

The first territory that dared to leave the USSR was the Nakhichevan Republic. This happened back in January 1990. It was followed by: Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Lithuania and Armenia. Over time everything allied states They will issue a Declaration of their independence (after the GKChP putsch), and the USSR will finally collapse.

The last president of the USSR

The central role in the process of the collapse of the Soviet Union was played by the last president of this state, M. S. Gorbachev. The collapse of the USSR took place against the backdrop of Mikhail Sergeevich’s desperate efforts to reform Soviet society and the system.

M. S. Gorbachev was from the Stavropol Territory (the village of Privolnoye). Was born statesman in 1931 in the simplest family. After graduation high school continued his studies at the Faculty of Law of Moscow State University, where he headed the Komsomol organization. There he met his future wife, Raisa Titarenko.

IN student years Gorbachev was engaged in active political activities, joined the ranks of the CPSU and already in 1955 he took the position of secretary of the Stavropol Komsomol. Gorbachev advanced career ladder civil servant quickly and confidently.

Rise to power

Mikhail Sergeevich came to power in 1985, after the so-called “era of deaths of general secretaries” (three leaders of the USSR died in three years). It should be noted that the title “President of the USSR” (introduced in 1990) was only borne by Gorbachev; all previous leaders were called General Secretaries. The reign of Mikhail Sergeevich was characterized by thorough political reforms, which were often not particularly thought out and radical.

Attempts at reform

Such socio-political transformations include: prohibition, the introduction of self-financing, money exchange, the policy of openness, acceleration.

For the most part, society did not appreciate the reforms and had a negative attitude towards them. And there was little benefit to the state from such radical actions.

In his foreign policy, M. S. Gorbachev adhered to the so-called “policy of new thinking,” which contributed to the detente of international relations and the end of the “arms race.” For this position, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize. But the USSR at that time was in a terrible situation.

August putsch

Of course, attempts to reform Soviet society, and in the end, the complete collapse of the USSR was not supported by many. Some supporters of the Soviet government united and decided to speak out against the destructive processes that were taking place in the Union.

The GKChP putsch was a political uprising that took place in August 1991. His goal is the restoration of the USSR. The 1991 coup was regarded by the official authorities as an attempted coup.

The events took place in Moscow from August 19 to 21, 1991. Among the many street clashes, the main striking event that ultimately led to the collapse of the USSR was the decision to create the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP). This was a new body formed by state officials, headed by USSR Vice President Gennady Yanaev.

Main reasons for the coup

The main reason for the August putsch can be considered dissatisfaction with Gorbachev's policies. Perestroika did not bring the expected results, the crisis deepened, unemployment and crime grew.

The last straw for future putschists and conservatives was the President’s desire to transform the USSR into a Union of Sovereign States. After M. S. Gorbachev left Moscow, the dissatisfied did not miss the opportunity for an armed uprising. But the conspirators failed to retain power; the putsch was suppressed.

The significance of the GKChP putsch

The 1991 coup launched an irreversible process towards the collapse of the USSR, which was already in a state of continuous economic and political instability. Despite the desire of the putschists to preserve the state, they themselves contributed to its collapse. After this event, Gorbachev resigned, the structure of the CPSU collapsed, and the republics of the USSR began to gradually proclaim their independence. The Soviet Union was replaced by a new state - the Russian Federation. And 1991 is understood by many as the year of the collapse of the USSR.

Bialowieza Accords

The 1991 Bialowieza Accords were signed on December 8th. Officials of three states - Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - put their signatures on them. The agreements were a document that legislated the collapse of the USSR and the formation new organization mutual assistance and cooperation - Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

As mentioned earlier, the GKChP putsch only weakened the central authorities and thereby accompanied the collapse of the USSR. In some republics, separatist tendencies began to brew, which were actively promoted in the regional media. As an example, we can consider Ukraine. In the country, in a national referendum on December 1, 1991, almost 90% of citizens voted for the independence of Ukraine, and L. Kravchuk was elected president of the country.

In early December, the leader made a statement that Ukraine was abandoning the 1922 treaty on the creation of the USSR. 1991, therefore, became a Starting point on the way to its own statehood.

The Ukrainian referendum served as a kind of signal for President Boris Yeltsin, who began to more persistently strengthen his power in Russia.

Creation of the CIS and the final destruction of the USSR

In turn, a new chairman of the Supreme Council, S. Shushkevich, was elected in Belarus. It was he who invited the leaders of neighboring states Kravchuk and Yeltsin to Belovezhskaya Pushcha to discuss the current situation and coordinate subsequent actions. After minor discussions between the delegates, the fate of the USSR was finally decided. The Treaty establishing the Soviet Union of December 31, 1922 was denounced, and in its place a plan for the Commonwealth of Independent States was prepared. After this process, many disputes arose, since the agreement on the creation of the USSR was supported by the Constitution of 1924.

However, it should be noted that the Belovezhskaya Agreements of 1991 were adopted not by the will of three politicians, but by the wishes of the peoples of the former Soviet republics. Just two days after the signing of the agreement, the Supreme Councils of Belarus and Ukraine adopted an act of denunciation of the union treaty and ratified the agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In Russia, on December 12, 1991, the same procedure took place. Not only radical liberals and democrats, but also communists voted for the ratification of the Belovezhskaya Accords.

Already on December 25, USSR President M. S. Gorbachev resigned. So, relatively simply, they destroyed the government system, which had existed for years. Although the USSR was an authoritarian state, there were certainly positive sides to its history. Among them are social security for citizens, the presence of clear government plans for the economy and superior military power. Many people to this day remember life in the Soviet Union with nostalgia.