Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
”The Soviet Union became a great power after the Second World War. However, in no time, the Soviet system became bureaucratic and authoritarian making life difficult for its citizens.” Do you agree with the given statement? Give arguments to prove your answer.
Advertisements
Solution
The Soviet Union became a great power after the Second World War but very soon the system became very bureaucratic and authoritarian. I do agree with the given statement. Arguments in favor of the given statement are as follows:
- The Soviet economy after the Second World War was more developed than the rest of the world except for the US. It had a complex communication network and vast energy resources. The soviet state ensured a minimum standard of living for all citizens and the government subsidized basic necessities including health, education, healthcare, and other welfare schemes. The Soviet system however became very bureaucratic and authoritarian making life very difficult for its citizens.
- Lack of democracy and the absence of freedom of speech stifled people who often expressed their dissent in jokes and cartoons.
- Most of the institutions of the Soviet state needed reform; the one-party system represented by the Soviet party of the Soviet Union had tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to the people. The party refused to recognize the urgency of the people in the 15 different republics that formed the Soviet Union to manage their own affairs including their cultural affairs.
- Although on paper Russia was only one of the 15 republics that together constituted the USSR, in reality, Russia dominated everything and people from other regions felt neglected and often suppressed. Thus, we can say that indeed the Soviet Union became a great power after the Second World War but very soon the system became very bureaucratic and authoritarian.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Which one of the following was NOT given primacy by the makers of the soviet system?
(a) Abolition of private property
(b) Society based on the principle of equality
(c) No opposition party to be allowed
(d) No state control over economy
Mention any four names of the countries belonging to the SAARC
Which among the following statements that describe the nature of the Soviet economy is wrong?
Arrange the following in chronological order:
- Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Disintegration of Soviet Union
- Russian Revolution
Fill in the blank:
_________________ was the military alliance started by the USSR.
Fill in the blank:
____________________ party dominated the Soviet Union’s political system.
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the year ____________.
The USSR came into being after the socialist revolution in Russia in the year ____________.
The successor country to the Soviet Union is ____________.
The revolution of Russia in 1917 was inspired by Ideals?
The warsaw pact was ______.
In which year Warsaw Pact was disbanded?
Which leader of the U.S.S.R. started political and economic reforms in U.S.S.R.?
Which among the following statements about Soviet System is not true?
Study the following diagram and answer accordingly.
What led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
Read the following passage and answer accordingly.
Economist Jeffrey Sachs is widely associated with shock therapy. He developed a plan of shock therapy for post-communist Poland in 1990, for post-communist Russia in 1992, and several other countries, including Bolivia and Chile.
Bolivia, in particular, in 1985, had success as a result of shock therapy in ending a period of hyperinflation.
Poland also initially seemed to benefit from shock therapy as inflation was controlled, but it saw a sharp rise in unemployment that peaked at 16.9%.
Sachs did not like the term shock therapy, which he said was coined by the media and made the reform process sound more painful than it was.
In Russia, neo-liberal shock therapy did not produce favourable outcomes. Shock therapy was applied swiftly and in large scale, as opposed to how it was applied to other nations.
Almost all of Russia’s industries were undervalued and sold to private individuals and companies, with most acquired by a few Russian oligarchs.
With limited government intervention, most industries disappeared. The Russian currency declined, causing high inflation and the erosion of most citizens’ savings. Unemployment increased drastically, and government subsidies were removed, further pushing Russian families into poverty.
Who developed the plan of the Shock therapy for the post-communist Poland?
What was the military alliance started by the USSR?
During the Cold War era, India and the USSR enjoyed a special relationship which led critics to say that India was part of the Soviet camp. It was which of the following type of relationship?
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came into being after the Socialist Revolution in Russia in
Which three major republics of the USSR declared in 1991 that the Soviet Union was disbanded?
Which of the following statements was not a feature of the Soviet System?
Which of the following factors makes Russia a powerful country in the world?
