Word count: Date: 8/06/2011

Li Chun Ho (Alvin) IB History HL

Essay Question: To what extent did economic problems in the Communist bloc bring about an end of the Cold War? Although economic problems significantly contributed to the end of the Cold War, many factors were needed to create economic deficiencies. Wide-spread corruption in the high ranking managers leading state-controlled economies created a high social class of individuals interested only in maintaining their wealth were static in innovation and discouraged changes to obsolete products, that was responsible for poor efficiency in state factories. This shrunk the number of goods the Soviets sold on the global market, in turn influencing Gorbachev to follow policies that reduced military spending for raising ordinary Soviet citizens living standards including policies that gave a more flexible version of Communism. These policies were vital towards the breakdown of Communism. However, the fact gerontocracy was needed to be overcome when Gorbachev began power combined with the fact his age and his policies were very constructive against prior Communist policies suggested his role in ending the Cold War was also significant. This in turn encouraged countries in the bloc to break away, as ignited by Solidarity in Poland. To begin with, many factors were responsible for economic problems. Very inefficient statecontrolled factories led by corrupted Soviet management team discouraged innovation, therefore continuing to sell old fashioned technology. Workers began to lose job enjoyment although the Soviet Union hugely invested in skill training as managers had incredible wealth. Flanked by high-rise apartments and cars, they were a class of their own who were more defensive in keeping their privileges than risking changing policies that may innovate products. In other words, they didnt want their products to fail at the price of their financial status. This demoralized workers who felt less nationalistic than those in other countries, leading to nation spread economic stagnation and a decrease in GNP (Gross National Product) of 7.7 in 1970, compared to 1960 where it owned 12.5 % of global product revenue. These economic problems influenced the next Soviet leader, Gorbachev to peruse policies that would improve the economy, including the reduction of military spending. Reducing the military budget was vital in ending the Cold War tensions. As the Cold War timeline was laden with military technological competitions, such as Americas atomic bomb creation in 1945 closely followed by USSRs same creation in 1949, leading the US creation of the Hydrogen bomb only in front of the Russians by one year, heightening to the buildup of missile capabilities. By the time it reached the Star Wars Initiative introduced by Ronald Regan in 1983 that suggested American scientists would develop space stations capable of attacking impending soviet missiles when they launch alarmed the Soviets. By then, the Soviets had spent nearly 17% of its GDP on military expenditures with the economy on the verge of collapse. This economic difficulty led to greater cooperation between the United States and Russia, as symbolized in the Geneva summit in 1985 between the two world leaders, where Gorbachev presented surprising Communist changes in an exchange for US abandonment of their Star Wars Initiative. This was considered a successful meeting as it was the first times both leaders agreed on arms reduction rather than arms control. This again signified another step towards the breakdown of Cold War tensions. It can be said this incident led to Gorbachev to introduce policies that softened Communist stances, such as Perestroika that would restructure the Soviet economy with some capitalist elements and Glasnost, a policy of openness. These decisions ultimately led to the breakdown of Communism in 1

Word count: Date: 8/06/2011

Li Chun Ho (Alvin) IB History HL

Essay Question: To what extent did economic problems in the Communist bloc bring about an end of the Cold War? the East-Communist bloc, as ignited by Solidarity in Poland. Solidarity was a trade union devised by Lech Walesa which aimed in protesting for greater religious and political freedom. This eventually led to breakdown of the Communist government in Poland, resulting in Solidarity taking over the country. However, many special circumstances were needed in order to allow economic problems to be the primary cause. Gorbachevs different yet realistic political views were needed in order to reduce funding for the military because of the economic problem. This might have been influenced also by Ronald Regan, who was particularly hard-lined against Communism. Without his Regan Doctrine and the Start Wars Initiative, Gorbachev might not have needed to bargain using Perestroika and Glasnost as well as democratization, which decentralized decision making processes not to only include the managers of the state controlled factories. Furthermore, Gorbachevs policies would not have been put in place without the approval of the Politburo. The Politburo was an executive committee that created and approved Communist party policies. After being promoted to the highest position in the Politburo, he dismissed several members in order to prevent obstacles in his radical policies that differed significantly from past heads of Russian states. In addition, the Afghanistan War also played an important role as a black hole that sucked Russian military funds, ultimately leading to the point where additional funding for military and defence were no longer possible. Depicted as Russias Vietnam since the problems and casualties experienced in Russians fighting against the Taliban was similarly equivalent to Americas war on Vietnam Communists, the Vietcong and guerrillas of Ho Chi Minh, this further accelerated Russias economic difficulty and affected Gorbachevs decision in reducing military funding that contributed to policies that were more open to change compared to initial Communist values. Therefore, it seems as though the economic difficulties were mainly responsible for the breakdown of the East-European Communist bloc, many coincidental changes such as Ronald Regans hard-line policies against the USSR and Gorbachevs differences and views compared to prior leaders who fitted the gerontocracy trend as well as the change in bureaucracy had made economic difficulties possible to end the Cold War. This also made it possible for Jarulzelskis Sometimes the silence of the telephone is terrifying quote to have never been interrupted, thanks to Gorbachevs understanding of what the stakes were and to end Communism the much considered simple way.