Question

Explain any four factors that were responsible for the disintegration of the USSR.

Answer 1

The USSR was already showing internal weakness at the time of its breakup, and the government was becoming authoritarian and bureaucratic. The following categories apply to the causes of disintegration:

1. Economic Causes or Factors:
   1. The USSR was utilizing resources to keep its nuclear and military weapons and satellite states in good shape.
   2. The money spent on nuclear weapons was a drag on the economy.
   3. People in the USSR slowly became increasingly aware of the differences between the USSR and the West in technology and infrastructure.
   4. Shock Therapy, a quick and total switch to Capitalism, was a major reason for the breakup.
2. Political/Administrative Causes or Factors:
   1. The government grew ineffective, authoritarian, and increasingly unaccountable to the public.
   2. It grew corrupt, incapable of correcting its mistakes, and unwilling to be open-minded.
   3. It became a centralized power, ignoring the concerns of the other republics. This led to an increase in nationalistic sentiment among the republics.
   4. The Party bureaucrats abused their immense power and, as a result, lost popular support.