KW End of Bipolarity

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END OF BIPOLARITY

(1991 & AFTER)


Soviet System
1. The soviet union became a great power after second world war.
The soviet economy was then more developed than the rest of
world except for the US
2. It had a complex communications network, vast energy resources
including oil, iron & steel , machinery production & a transport
sector that connected its remotest areas with efficiency.
3. It had a domestic consumer industry that produced everything
from pins to cars though their quality did not match that of western
capitalist countries.
4. The soviet union ensured minimum standard of living for all
citizens & the government subsidized basic necessities including
health, education , childcare & other welfare schemes.
5. There was no unemployment. State ownership was dominant form
of ownership.
Why disintegration of soviet union ?
- The internal weaknesses of soviet political & economic
institution which failed to meet the aspirations of people
were responsible for the collapse of this system.
- Economic stagnation for many years lead to savior
consumer shortages & large section of soviet society
began to doubt & question this system
- The soviet economy used much of its resources in
maintaining a nuclear & military arsenal & the
development of its satellite states in eastern Europe.
- This burden led to a huge economic burden that the
system couldn’t cope up with.
- At the same time ordinary citizens became more
knowledgeable about the economic advances in the west.
They could see the disparities between their system & the
system of the west. After years of being told that the soviet
system was better than western capitalism , the reality of its
backwardness came as a shock.

- The soviet union became stagnant in an administrative &


political sense as well. The communist party that had ruled
the soviet union for over 70 years was not accountable to the
people. Ordinary people were alienated by slow & stiffening
administration , rampant corruption, the inability of the
system to correct mistakes it had made, unwillingness to
allow more openness & centralization of authority
ROLE OF MIKHAIL GORBACHEV
1. Gorbachev carried out his reforms but their were
sections of soviet society which felt that Gorbachev
should have moved much faster & were disappointed &
impatient with his methods. They did not benefit in the
way they hoped.

1. Others felt that their power & privileges were eroding &
Gorbachev was moving too quickly.

2. He was the last leader of soviet union. & introduced


economic & political reforms of PERESTROIKA
(Reconstructing of inst.) & GLASNOST (openness /
transperancy ).
- He was credited to stop the arms race in US, withdrew the soviet troops from
Afghanistan & eastern Europe.
- Helped in unification of Germany
- Ended cold war
- Also blamed for disintegration of USSR
What is CIS ?

1. CIS denotes COMMON WEALTH OF INDEPENDENT


STATES.
2. It was formed in 1991 after the disintegration of soviet
union.
3. Its members are RUSSIA, ASTONIA, GEORGIA etc (Russia
+ 15 central Asian republics which declared there
independence from USSR in 1991.
Q. Consequences of disintegration of soviet union?

1. First of all, it meant the end of cold war confrontations. The end of confrontation
demanded an end to this arms race & a possible new peace.
2. Second, power relations in world politics changed & therefore, the relative influence of
ideas & institutions also changed. The US became the sole power , the capitalist economy
was now dominant economic system.
3. Third, the end of soviet bloc , meant the emergence of many new countries- all these
countries had their own independent aspirations & choices.
4. Thus , international system saw many new players emerge, each it its own identity ,
interest , economic & political difficulties.
Q. What do you understand by shock therapy. How did it
affect Russia?

1. The model of transition in Russia , central asia , east


Europe that was influenced by world bank & IMF came
to be known as shock therapy.
2. CHANGES :
A. Russia had to make a total shift to a capitalist economy,
which meant rooting out completely
B. Privatization of state assets & corporate ownership
patterns were to be immediately brought in.
C. Collective farming were to be replaced by
private farming
D. Complete switch to free trade was
considered essential.
E. The free trade regime & foreign direct
investment (FDI) were the main engines of
change.
F. Each state from this bloc was not linked
directly to the west.
3. CONSEQUENCES OF SHOCK THERAPY

A. It ruined the economies & brought disaster on the people of entire region
B. In Russia , the large state controlled industrial complex, almost collapsed , as about 90% of its
industries were put up for sale to private individuals & companies.
C. The value of RUBLE , the Russian currency declined.
D. The collective farm system disintegrated leaving people without food security.
E. The old system of social welfare was systematically destroyed
F. The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large section of people into poverty.
G. The mafia emerged in most of these nations & started controlling many economic activities.
Q. Briefly examine the issues of strain in central republics?

1. Most of the former soviet republics are prone to conflict & many have had civil war.
2. In Russia , two republics – Chechnya & Dagestan , have had violent secessionist
movements.
3. In central Asia – TAJIKISTAN witnessed a civil war that went on for 10 years till 2001.
4. In Georgia , the demand for independence has come from two provinces resulting in
a civil war.
5. There are movements against the existing regimes in UKRAINE, KYRGYSTAN &
GEORGIA. Countries are fighting over river waters.
Q. What are the reasons for the revival for economies of central Asian republics.

1. Most of these economies , especially Russia starting reviving in 2000 , ten years
after their independence.
2. The reason for the revival for most of their economies was export of natural
resources like oil, natural gas & minerals.
3. Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , Russia , Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan are major oil & gas
producers
4. Other countries have gained because of the oil pipelines that cross the territory
for which they got rent.
INDIA & RUSSIA

1. India has maintained good relations with all the post communist countries.
But the strongest relations are still those between Russia and India. India’s
relations with Russia are an important aspect of India’s foreign policy.

2. Indian heroes from Raj Kapoor to Amitabh Bachchan are household names
in Russia and many post Soviet countries. One can hear Hindi film songs
all over the region, and India is part of the popular memory.
3. Russia and India share a vision of a multipolar world order. What they
mean by a multipolar world order is the co-existence of several powers in
the international system, collective security (in which an attack on any
country is regarded as a threat to all countries and requires a collective
response), greater regionalism, negotiated settlements of international
conflicts, an independent foreign policy for all countries, and decision
making through bodies like the UN that should be strengthened,
democratised, and empowered.

4. More than 80 bilateral agreements have been signed between India and
Russia as part of the Indo-Russian Strategic Agreement of 2001.
5. India stands to benefit from its relationship with Russia on issues like
Kashmir, energy supplies, sharing information on international terrorism,
access to Central Asia, and balancing its relations with China.

6. Russia stands to benefit from this relationship because India is the second
largest arms market for Russia. The Indian military gets most of its
hardware from Russia. Since India is an oil importing nation, Russia is
important to India and has repeatedly come to the assistance of India
during its oil crises
7. India is seeking to increase its energy imports from Russia and the
republics of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Cooperation with these
republics includes partnership and investment in oilfields.

8. Russia is important for India’s nuclear energy plans and assisted India’s
space industry by giving, for example, the cryogenic rocket when India
needed it. Russia and India have collaborated on various scientific
projects
GULF WAR
- In august 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait – rapidly occupied. After series of
diplomatic attempt failed at convincing Iraq to quit its aggression , the UN
mandated the liberation of Kuwait by force.

- A massive coalition force of 6,60,000 troops from 34 countries fought against


Iraq & defeated it in what came to be known as FIRST GULF WAR. This operation
by UN was also known as OPERATION DESERT STORM.

- It was overwhelmingly American – nearly 75% of coalition forces were from


America , the Iraqi forces were quickly defeated & forced to withdraw from
Kuwait.
- The highly publicized use of so called ‘smart bombs’ by the US led some
observers to call it as ‘Computer war’

- Widespread television coverage also made it a ‘video game’. With viewers


around the world watching the distruction of Iraqi forces live on TV in the
comfort of their living rooms

- BEGAN IN : August 2, 1990


- ENDED IN : February 28, 1991
ARAB SPRING
- Arab spring was loosely related to a group of protest that ultimately resulted
in regime changes in the countries such as TUNISIA , EGYPT & LIBYA. Not all
of the movements , however could be deemed successful – at least if the end
goal was increased democracy & cultural freedom.

- TUNISIA , EGYPT , LIBYA , SYRIA, YEMEN , MORROCO


- These countries fought for democracy , equality , social justice ,
unemployment , reduction of poverty & corruption.
- JASMINE REVOLUTION
1. Arab spring began in December 2010 when Tunisian street
vendor – Mohammad Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest
the arbitrary seizing of his vegetable stand by police over the
failure to obtain the permit.

2. Bouazizi’s sacrificial act served as a catalyst for so called


JASMINE REVOLUTION in Tunisia.

3. The street protest that started in Tunisia , eventually led


authoritarian president – ZINE EL ABIDINE BEN ALI to
abdicate his position & flee to Saudi Arabia – he ruled the
country for over 20 years.
ARAB SPRING AFTERMATH

- While the movement in Tunisia led to some


improvement in the country from human rights
perspective, not all of the nations that witnessed such
social & political upheaval in the spring of 2011
changed for better. (democratic parliamentary
election started in Tunisia).

- EGYPT
- Protest also started in EGYPT – protest is known as
TAHIR SQUARE UPRISING , as a result of which Egypt
president – Hosni Mubarak who was ruling from 1979
was dethroned.
- Then it further went to LIBYA – dictator
Mohammad Gaddafi. In Libya there was a
brutal civil war. In this war dictator was
executed on roads in oct 2011.

- TIMELINE :

- 2010 – Bouazizi’s death


- 2011 –Tunisia’s president removed
- JAN 25th 2011 – Egypt – Tahir square
- Feb 2011- Egypt president removed
- Oct 2011 – Libya’s dictator removed
WHY WAS IT CALLED ARAB SPRING?
- The name Arab spring was a reference to the revolution of 1948- also known
as ‘people’s spring’ – when political upheavals swept Europe.

- Ever since ‘spring’ has been used to describe as movement towards


democracy.
FALL OF BERLIN WALL
- On august 13, 1961- the communist government of the German democratic republic (GDR) or
easy Germany began to build a barbed wire & concrete between east & west berlin. The
official purpose was to keep western people from entering to east Germany.

- In 1961, premiere khurshchev gave east German permission to stop the flow of emigrants, by
closing its border for good. In just two weeks the east german army , police force & volunteer
construction workers had completed the barbed wire & concrete block wall – the berlin wall
that divided one side of the city from other.
- The berlin wall stood until Nov 9 1989, when the head of east Germany communist
party announced that citizens of GDR could cross the border whenever they pleased.
That night static crowd swarmed the wall. Some crossed freely into west berlin while
others brought hammers & pricks.

- To this day , berlin wall remains one of the most powerful & enduring symbol of the
cold war.
QUIZ SESSION
END OF BIPOLARITY
Q1. In which year Socialist Revolution took place in Russia?

1. 1991
2. 1917
3. 1920
4. 1978

Q2. In which year Warsaw Pact was disbanded?

1. 1991
2. 1990
3. 1992
4. 1989
Q3. How many Union Republics were there in U.S.S.R.?

1. 16
2. 5
3. 19
4. 15
5. None

Q4. ________ was involved in suppressing popular rebellion in Czechoslovakia ?

1. Leonard Brezhnev.
2. Nikita Khrushchev
3. Mikhail Gorbachev
4. Boris yelstin
Q5. Russia had to make a total shift to a capitalist economy

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

Q6. The value of RUBLE , the Russian currency declined during shock
therapy.

1. true
2. false
Q7. The country that gave the aid and technical assistance for steel plants in India is

(a) The United States.


(b) USSR.
(c) Russia.
(d) Japan.

Q8. The USSR came into being after the Socialist Revolution in Russia in the year

(a) 1915.
(b) 1916.
(c) 1917.
(d) 1918.
Q9. The Russian Revolution in 1917 was led by

(a) Joseph Stalin.


(b) Nikita Khrushchev.
(c) Mikhail Gorbachev.

(d) Vladimir Lenin.

Q10. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the year

(a) 1975.
(b) 1977.

(c) 1979.
(d) 1981.
Q11. Who became General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
in 1985?

(a) Joseph Stalin.


(b) Nikita Khrushchev.
(c) Mikhail Gorbachev.
(d) Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

Q12. Russia took over the U.S.S.R. seat in the U.N. in:

(a) December 1991


(b) November 1989
(c) December 1990
(d) October 1992.
Q13. In central Asia _______ country witnessed a civil war that went on till 2001?

1. Azerbaijan
2. Afghanistan
3. Tajikistan
4. Turkhmenistan

Q14. Bolshevik communist party was founded by ?

1. Mikhail gorbachev
2. Nikita Khrushchev
3. Vladimir Lenin
4. None
Q15. In 1990 march ________ country become the first soviet republic to declare its
independence

1. Latvia
2. Lithuania
3. Estonia
4. None

Q16. In dec 1991, under the leadership of Yelstin _______, __________ & __________ three major
republics of USSR declared that soviet union was disbanded?

1. Russia , Ukraine , Belarus


2. Russia , Latvia , Belarus
3. Russia , Ukraine , Armenia
4. Russia, Azerbaijan , ukraine
Q17. Who was the first elected president of Russia?

1. Boris yelstin
2. Nikita Khrushchev
3. Vladimir lenin
4. None

Q18. Arrange them in chronological order :

1. Soviet invasion in Afghanistan


2. Fall of berlin wall
3. Disintegration of soviet union
4. Russian revolution
Mention any two reasons for the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
ANS

Who was the last President of the Soviet Union and for how long?
ANS

Name the republic that succeeded the Soviet Union after its
disintegration. What was its position in the international domain?
ANS
Mention any two reforms initiated by Gorbachev.
ANS

When did India sign the twenty- years ‘Treaty of Peace and Friendship’
with the Soviet Union?
ANS

What is meant by Shock Therapy?


ANS
State any one special feature of Indo- Russian friendship.

ANS
Highlight any one major distinction between the Soviet economy and the Capitalist
economy.
ANS

Highlight any one democratic value which the bureaucratic and Authoritarian Soviet
system Lacked.
ANS
Why did Boris Yeltsin oppose the coup that took place in the Soviet Union in 1991?
ANS

Identify the event that took place in 1989 which led to the collapse of the ‘Second World5 and
the end of the Cold War.
ANS

Correct the statement and rewrite:


The first world was the communist countries and the third world was the capitalist countries.
ANS

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