The Revolutions of 1989

1
The Revolutions of 1989
2
Gorbachev 1985-1990

• As significant as Peters reforms, Alex IIs
  Great Reforms, Revolution 1917, Stalin Revolution
• Glasnost
• Democratization liberalism national
  self-determination
• Chernobyl
• Perestroika
• Relaxing economic controls shift to consumer
  goods (cf NEP under Lenin)

3
Momentous Consequences of 1989 Revolutions

• Eastern Europe rejoins mainstream of European
  life
• Anti-communist revolution sweeps Russia
• Soviet Union breaks up into 15 countries
• Cold War ends, bi-polar world ends, US proclaims
  a new world order with itself as the sole
  superpower

4
Poland Leads the Way

• Solidarity (Polish Labor Union) is formed,
  outlawed in 1980s
• Economic collapse in 1980s pushes government to
• Legalize Solidarity in 1989
• Hold free elections puts union leader Lech
  Walesa in power
• New Government Slow political change shock
  therapy economic change (instant move to market
  economy) model for all other EE satellite
  revolts

5
Hungary, E. Germany, Czechoslovakia

• Hungary follows Polands model
• Hungary also allows E. Germans to flee E. Germany
  into Austria and W.Ger.
• E. Germany responds by tearing down the wall
• Czechoslovakia Velvet Revolution
• Led by dissent playwright, eventual president
  Vaclav Havel

6
Romania The Exception

• President Ceausescu uses secret police to
  slaughter thousands
• Armed uprising
• Executed on public television
• Perhaps whole revolution was manipulated?
• Current regime is undemocratic and mafia-like

7
Why So Simple, La?

• Gorbachev refuses to intervene
• Communists expected to win free elections (!)
• Economic stagnation
• Western radio, television, music

8
Collapse of the USSR

• Gorbachev between rock and hard place
• Revolutionaries for western-style government vs.
• Hard-line Communists
• Gorby simply wanted to make communism work
• Nationalism, economic problems, Boris Yeltsin
  destroy Gorbachev

9
Final Collapse

• Yeltsin leads coup against Hard Liners who
  kidnapped Gorbachev
• Russia declares its independence from USSR
  outlaws Communist Party elects Yeltsin president
• Germany reunifies in 1990
• Paris Accord affirms new borders and ends World
  War II (!)
• Is it coincidental that the US invades Iraq the
  next year?

10
Hard Knocks 90s

• Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany fair
  best economically politically (even join NATO!)
• USSR dissolves into mafia-run businesses,
  hyperinflation, poverty, ethnic rivalries and
  warfare
• Yugoslavia disintegrates into ethnic war and
  ethnic cleansing
• Silver Lining Maastricht Treaty monetary
  unification (Euro) of Western Europe, with hope
  for bringing the East in eventually