ANSWRS OF SOME

QUESTIONS FIRST..
POLITICAL CHANGES IN EASTERN EUROPE
Some major points to understand why
communism failed in USSR
 1) The Communist Party in the Soviet Union and the Communist Party in China both
had similarities. Among them were immoral leaders as well as effective leaders, a way
of keeping their constituents in line, and the end of Communism as the party began
with.  However, among the few similarities both parties possessed the ultimate demise
of Communism in the Soviet Union was their failure to adapt to times. The Soviet
Union’s miscalculation of national identity, the lack of a strong connection between
Soviet led bloc states, and having a leader that supported Western-Democracy more
than Communism were essentially the three paramount factors that led to the
disintegration of the Soviet Union and of Communism in it. While Communist China
did have an immoral leader, Mao tse-tung, the Communist Party was able to adapt to
the times by putting economic reform before political reform. Ultimately this
historically brilliant move led by Deng Xiaoping was arguably what kept the
Communist Party in rule in China for many years to come, among other things.
Factors behind disintegration

  Like any great historical development, the failures of communism cannot be

reduced to any one single cause. But, by and large, they were indeed inherent.

Two major factors were the most important causes of the atrocities inflicted by
communist regimes: perverse incentives and inadequate knowledge. The
establishment of the centrally planned economy and society required by socialist
ideology necessitated an enormous concentration of power. While communists
looked forward to a utopian society in which the state could eventually “wither
away,” they believed they first had to establish a state-run economy in order to
manage production in the interests of the people. In that respect, they had much in
common with other socialists.
 To make socialism work, government planners needed to have the authority to
direct the production and distribution of virtually all the goods produced by the
society. In addition, extensive coercion was necessary to force people to give up
their private property, and do the work that the state required. Famine and mass
murder was probably the only way the rulers of the USSR, China, and other
communist states could compel peasants to give up their land and livestock and
accept a new form of serfdom on collective farms – which most were then
forbidden to leave without official permission, for fear that they might otherwise
seek an easier life elsewhere.
 The vast power necessary to establish and maintain the communist system
naturally attracted unscrupulous people, including many self-seekers who
prioritized their own interests over those of the cause. But it is striking that the
biggest communist atrocities were perpetrated not by corrupt party bosses, but
 by true believers like Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. Precisely because they were true
believers, they were willing to do whatever it might take to make their utopian
dreams a reality.
 Even as the socialist system created opportunities for vast atrocities by the rulers,
it also destroyed production incentives for ordinary people. In the absence of
markets (at least legal ones), there was little incentive for workers to either be
productive or to focus on making goods that might actually be useful to
consumers. Many people tried to do as little work as possible at their official jobs,
where possible reserving their real efforts for black market activity. As the old
Soviet saying goes, workers had the attitude that “we pretend to work, and they
pretend to pay.”
Transition from socialism to capitalist
democracies
 Governments that had been controlled by Communist dictators or authoritarian
leaderships before 1991 were opened up to democratic processes with public
elections. With the fall of Communism came economic reforms that shifted
countries from central planning to open markets. Under central planning, the
governments dictated which products were produced and how many of each were
to be produced. The open markets invited private capitalism and western
corporate businesses.
 The power of the state was transferred from the Communist elite to the private
citizen
 The stage for the transition from communism to capitalism was further set by
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who began to liberalize the Soviet Union by
allowing multiparty elections and encouraging economic reform and societal
openness (concepts known throughout the world by the Russian
words perestroika and glasnost, respectively
Eastern European countries

 Hungary
 During the Communist period, Hungary enjoyed a higher standard of living than
its neighbors. It was likely the marked contrast in daily life between the
Communist period and the post-Communist period that influenced the outcome of
the 1994 elections, which gave the Hungarian Socialist Party, led by former
Communists, an absolute majority in parliament. 
 Many were concerned that Hungary was signaling a wish to return to the past, but
instead, all three main political parties joined together to work toward the
common goals of continued liberalization of the economy, closer ties with the
West, and full EU membership.
 An important characteristic of post-Communist Hungary is its desire to become an
active member of the global community by joining international organizations. In
1990, Hungary was the first Eastern bloc nation to join the Council of Europe. In
2004, Hungary joined the EU. In addition, Hungary joined the other international
organizations, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World
Trade Organization (WTO). Another endeavor that would not have been possible
under the Communist rule was the development of tourism as an important
economic sector.
The Czech Republic and the Slovak
Republic (Slovakia)
  Countries such as the Czech Republic and Hungary were more prepared and
better equipped to meet the challenges and were early qualifiers for entry into the
EU. Historically, the region occupied by the modern Czech Republic was known
as Bohemia and Moravia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia were, until recently,
part of the same country: Czechoslovakia, which was created in 1918 from part of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War II ended. On January 1, 1993, they
became two new independent nations. Slovakia is known officially as the Slovak
Republic
 Under Communist rule, the standard of living was very high in Czechoslovakia.
When market reforms began in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the standard of
living declined to some extent. In general, the Czech Republic has more rapidly
and effectively transferred state control of industry to private ownership than has
Slovakia. Also, Slovakia was hit harder by the move away from defense
industries, which had employed many people during the Communist period.
Unemployment has consistently been higher in Slovakia. Slovakia is not as
industrialized as the Czech Republic but has made strides since independence to
provide economic opportunities for its people
The Baltic Republics

 The small Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania transitioned away from

their old Soviet connections. After independence, they were quick to look toward
Western Europe for trade and development. Most Eastern European countries
followed this pattern. Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania received their independence
from the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia withdrew its troops from the region in
1994. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the EU welcomed
them as members in 2004. They have transitioned to market economies with
democratic governments. The people of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania rapidly
expanded their economic conditions after independence but have been hard hit by
the downturn in the global marketplace in 2008.
 Poland has a long-standing history of working to oppose the Communist
domination of its country. The Solidarity movement in Poland started out as an
independent trade union in the 1980s but became a lightning rod for political
change in Poland. The Communist Party dominated politics and suppressed any
movement to organize labor or the people against the government. The strength of
Solidarity became evident by the 1990 election, when Solidarity candidate Lech
Wałęsa won the Poland’s presidential election. Solidarity’s victory signified the
collapse of the power of the Soviet Union and Communism in Eastern Europe.
The country has emerged with democratic government and a thriving capitalist
economy.
 Poland produces cars, buses, helicopters, trains, and heavy military equipment,
including tanks and ships. Before the Communists industrialized the Polish
economy, it was largely agrarian. Though Poland continues to be one of Europe’s
leading agricultural producers, with a wide variety of crops and dairy and meat
production, it is unable to meet the food demands of its large population. Poland’s
economy is still considered to be under development. Reforms, including
privatization, must continue before Poland can adopt the euro, the common EU
currency.
Moldova

 A variety of cultural and social forces provided different levels of civility in the
transitions of Eastern Europe. The poor, agrarian economy of the small,
landlocked country of Moldova provides few opportunities or advantages to grow
its economy and provide a stronger future for its people. As a result, young people
earning an education or technical skills immigrate to other countries for
opportunities or employment.
Belarus

 In 1991, independence came to the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, but Belarus
took a different path from most of the other Eastern bloc countries in that Belarus
did not distance itself from its Russian connection. Belarus has consequently
experienced authoritarian governments well into the twenty-first century. In this
case, Russia and Belarus created a stronger relationship by signing agreements to
increase economic integration. Difficulties have hindered implementation of many of
these policies. For one thing, the government of Belarus has been slow to move
toward democratic reforms. In fact, the president has taken on greater authoritarian
powers. Some of the personal freedoms that have been granted in other European
countries—freedom of the press, free speech, and the right to peacefully assemble—
are still restricted in Belarus. As of 2010, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova have not
been admitted into the EU. Belarus has indicated that it might join with the Russian
Republic and has not even applied for entry into the EU.
 Of the former Soviet Union republics, excluding Russia, Ukraine was far and
away the most important economic component, producing about four times the
output of the next-ranking Soviet republic. Its fertile black soil generated more
than one-fourth of the overall Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided
substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics.
Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied steel pipes and raw materials to
Russia’s oil and mining industry. Ukraine’s political relationship with Russia has
been complicated since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but Russia still
supplies enormous amounts of natural gas and oil to fuel the economy, and
Russia’s markets are still highly integrated with those of Ukraine.
 Though Ukraine has transitioned from a Soviet republic to a fully independent
country, divisive centrifugal forces have made Ukraine’s path to free elections and
democratically elected leaders difficult. The country has held political elections,
but they have been challenged or tainted with corruption and accusations of fraud.
Today, the country has a democratically elected government and is working
toward improving its economy and creating stability for its people.
 Romania’s Communist dictator, Nicolae Ceauşescu, ruled from 1965 to 1989. The
end of his domination came when the government was overthrown by a
revolution. Ceauşescu and his wife were arrested and shot to death. Even after his
death, the Communist Party maintained strong ties to the government until the
mid-1990s.

The transition to integrate Romania’s economy with that of the greater European
economy was delayed because of Romania’s obsolete industrial infrastructure,
established during the Communist era. Since joining the EU in 2007, Romania has
developed a stronger export market with Western European countries. Investments
and consumer confidence have fueled the growth of the domestic economy.
Romania has worked through a number of difficult issues in its attempts to
provide a stable government and a growing market economy.
Albania

 The southern Adriatic is home to the small country of Albania. The rugged
mountainous country of Albania has a Muslim majority. Poverty, unemployment,
and a lack of opportunities to gain wealth have plagued the country. Albania has
even received Communist support from China. As a result of the war in Kosovo,
Albania suffered a major setback in its progress toward an improved standard of
living and integration with the rest of Europe. When stability is established,
Albania can progress toward becoming more integrated with the European
economy and raise its standard of living for its people. A parliamentary
democracy has been installed since the Communist era, and foreign investments
have aided in developing updated transportation and power grids.
 Upon declaring independence from Russia, Bulgaria held multiparty elections. Its
economy is emerging, but the transition to a capitalist system has not been without
the difficulties of unemployment, inflation, and corruption. Bulgaria became a
member of NATO in 2004 and was accepted for EU membership in 2007. The
transition to a free market economy is still in progress, with mining, industry, and
agriculture as the main economic activities. Tourism is an emerging segment of
the economy that has been gaining international attention in recent years. The
country has a milder climate than the northern states of Eastern Europe and has
been marketing itself as a major tourist destination. Main points of interest include
historical monasteries, coastal resorts on the Black Sea, and the capital city of
Sofia.
Some points to learn

 After World War II ended in 1945, Europe was divided into Western Europe and
Eastern Europe by the Iron Curtain. Western Europe promoted capitalist
democracies, and Eastern Europe came under the Communist influence of the
Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Eastern Europe
began to transition toward Western European ideals.
 Eastern Europe has been shifting toward democratic governments, open market
economies, private ownership, and the EU rather than the old Soviet Union.
 Countries with stable governments and industrial potential have been accepted
into the EU and have expanding economies. Other countries that have not reached
that level of economic development or political reforms have not been admitted
into the EU.
 The transition of former Soviet republics to capitalist systems has not been
without difficulties, including unemployment, inflation, corruption and crime, and
poverty. Political infighting has been evident in the transitioning countries that do
not yet have a stable democratic government or economy.
 The breakup of former Yugoslavia was an example of how strong devolutionary
forces can promote nationalism resulting in open war. The once stable country of
Yugoslavia split into seven separate countries patterned after the nation-state
concept. Bosnia remains the most diverse state, with a majority Muslim
population.


Thanks