The collapse of the USSR month year. In what year did the USSR collapse and the reasons for this event

In March 1990, at an all-Union referendum, the majority of citizens voted for the preservation of the USSR and the need to reform it. By the summer of 1991, a new Union Treaty was prepared, which gave a chance to renew the federal state. But the unity could not be maintained.

Currently, among historians there is no single point of view on what was the main reason for the collapse of the USSR, and also on whether it was possible to prevent or at least stop the process of the collapse of the USSR. Possible reasons include the following:

The USSR was created in 1922. as a federal state. However, over time, it increasingly turned into a state controlled from the center and leveling the differences between the republics, the subjects of federal relations. The problems of inter-republican and interethnic relations have been ignored for many years. During the years of perestroika, when ethnic conflicts became explosive and extremely dangerous, decision-making was postponed until 1990-1991. The accumulation of contradictions made disintegration inevitable;

The USSR was created on the basis of the recognition of the right of nations to self-determination, The federation was built not according to the territorial, but to the national-territorial principle. In the Constitutions of 1924, 1936 and 1977 contained norms on the sovereignty of the republics that were part of the USSR. In the context of the growing crisis, these norms became a catalyst for centrifugal processes;

· the unified national economic complex that had taken shape in the USSR ensured the economic integration of the republics. However as economic difficulties increased, economic ties began to break, the republics showed tendencies towards self-isolation, and the center was not ready for such a development of events;

· The Soviet political system was based on a strict centralization of power, the real bearer of which was not so much the state as the Communist Party. The crisis of the CPSU, the loss of its leading role, its disintegration inevitably led to the disintegration of the country;

· The unity and integrity of the Union was largely ensured by its ideological unity. The crisis of the communist value system created a spiritual vacuum that was filled with nationalist ideas;

· political, economic, ideological crisis, which experienced the USSR in the last years of its existence , led to the weakening of the center and the strengthening of the republics, their political elites. For economic, political, personal reasons, the national elites were interested not so much in the preservation of the USSR as in its collapse. The "Parade of Sovereignties" of 1990 clearly showed the moods and intentions of the national party-state elites.

Consequences:

· the collapse of the USSR led to the emergence of independent sovereign states;

· the geopolitical situation in Europe and around the world has changed radically;

· the rupture of economic ties has become one of the main reasons for the deep economic crisis in Russia and other countries - the heirs of the USSR;

· Serious problems arose related to the fate of Russians who remained outside of Russia, national minorities in general (the problem of refugees and migrants).

1. Political liberalization has led to an increase in the numberinformal groupings, since 1988 they have been involved in political activities. Unions, associations and popular fronts of various directions (nationalist, patriotic, liberal, democratic, etc.) became the prototypes of future political parties. In the spring of 1988, the Democratic Bloc was formed, which included Eurocommunists, Social Democrats, and liberal groups.

An opposition Interregional Deputy Group was formed in the Supreme Council. In January 1990, an opposition democratic platform took shape within the CPSU, whose members began to leave the party.

Political parties began to form. The monopoly of the CPSU on power was being lost, from the middle of 1990 a rapid transition to a multi-party system began.

2. The collapse of the socialist camp (“velvet revolution” in Czechoslovakia (1989), events in Romania (1989), the unification of Germany and the disappearance of the GDR (1990), reforms in Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria.)

3. The growth of the nationalist movement, its causes were the deterioration of the economic situation in the national regions, the conflict of local authorities with the "center"). Clashes began on ethnic grounds, since 1987 national movements have become organized (the movement of the Crimean Tatars, the movement for the reunification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, the movement for the independence of the Baltic states, etc.)

In the same time drafted a newunion treaty, significantly expanding the rights of the republics.

The idea of ​​a union treaty was put forward by the popular fronts of the Baltic republics as early as 1988. The Center accepted the idea of ​​a treaty later, when centrifugal tendencies were gaining momentum and there was a "parade of sovereignties." The question of Russia's sovereignty was raised in June 1990 at the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation. Was the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation was adopted. This meant that the Soviet Union as a state entity was losing its main support.

The Declaration formally demarcated the powers of the center and the republic, which did not contradict the Constitution. In practice, it established dual power in the country.

The example of Russia strengthened the separatist tendencies in the union republics.

However, the indecisive and inconsistent actions of the country's central leadership did not lead to success. In April 1991, the union center and nine republics (with the exception of the Baltic, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova) signed documents declaring the provisions of the new union treaty. However, the situation was complicated by the beginning of the struggle between the parliaments of the USSR and Russia, which turned into war of laws.

At the beginning of April 1990, the Law On the strengthening of responsibility for encroachments on the national equality of citizens and the violent violation of the unity of the territory of the USSR, which established criminal liability for public calls for the violent overthrow or change of the Soviet social and state system.

But almost at the same time adopted Law Aboutprocedure for resolving issues related to Withthe exit of the union republic from the USSR, governing order and proceduresecession from the USSR throughreferendum. A legal way to secede from the Union was opened.

The Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in December 1990 voted for the preservation of the USSR.

However, the collapse of the USSR was already in full swing. In October 1990, the struggle for the independence of Ukraine was proclaimed at the congress of the Ukrainian Popular Front; The Georgian parliament, in which the nationalists won the majority, adopted a program for the transition to sovereign Georgia. Political tensions continued in the Baltics.

In November 1990, a new version of the union treaty was proposed to the republics, in which instead of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics.

But at the same time, bilateral agreements were signed between Russia and Ukraine, mutually recognizing each other's sovereignty regardless of the Center, between Russia and Kazakhstan. A parallel model of a union of republics was created.

4. In January 1991, a monetary reform aimed at combating the shadow economy, but causing additional tension in society. The people expressed dissatisfaction deficit food and necessary goods.

B.N. Yeltsin demanded the resignation of the President of the USSR and the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

was scheduled for March referendum on the preservation of the USSR(opponents of the Union questioned its legitimacy, calling for the transfer of power to the Federation Council, consisting of the first persons of the republics). The majority of those who voted were in favor of preserving the USSR.

5. In early March, the miners of Donbass, Kuzbass and Vorkuta went on strike, demanding the resignation of the President of the USSR, the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, a multi-party system, and the nationalization of the property of the CPSU. Official authorities could not stop the process that had begun.

The referendum on March 17, 1991 confirmed the political division of society, in addition, a sharp increase in prices increased social tension and filled the ranks of the strikers.

In June 1991, elections of the President of the RSFSR were held. B.N. was elected. Yeltsin.

The discussion of the drafts of the new Union Treaty continued: some participants of the meeting in Novo-Ogaryovo insisted on confederal principles, others on federal principles.. It was supposed to sign the agreement in July - August 1991.

During the negotiations, the republics managed to defend many of their demands: the Russian language ceased to be the state language, the heads of the republican governments participated in the work of the Union Cabinet of Ministers with a decisive vote, enterprises of the military-industrial complex were transferred to the joint jurisdiction of the Union and the republics.

Many questions about both the international and intra-union status of the republics remained unresolved. Questions remained unclear about union taxes and the management of natural resources, as well as the status of the six republics that had not signed the agreement. At the same time, the Central Asian republics concluded bilateral agreements with each other, while Ukraine refrained from signing an agreement until the adoption of its Constitution.

In July 1991, the President of Russia signed departization decree, banned the activities of party organizations at enterprises and institutions.

6. August 19, 1991 created State Committee for the State of Emergency in the USSR (GKChP) , declared his intention to restore order in the country and prevent the collapse of the USSR. A state of emergency was established, censorship was introduced. Armored vehicles appeared on the streets of the capital.

Wars and expansions have always led to the emergence of large states. But even huge and invincible powers are collapsing. The Roman, Mongolian, Russian and Byzantine empires had in their history both the peaks of their power and the fall. Consider the reasons for the collapse of the largest country of the XX century. Why the USSR collapsed, and what consequences it led to, read in our article below.

In what year did the USSR collapse?

The peak of the crisis in the USSR fell on the middle of the 80s of the last century. It was then that the Central Committee of the CPSU weakened control over the internal affairs of the countries of the socialist camp. Eastern Europe saw the decline of the communist regime. The fall of the Berlin Wall, the coming to power in Poland and Czechoslovakia of democratic forces, the military coup in Romania - all this is strong weakened the geopolitical power of the USSR.

The period of withdrawal of the socialist republics from the country fell at the beginning of the 90s.

Before this event, there was a rapid exit from the country of six republics:

• Lithuania. The first republic to secede from the Soviet Union. Independence was proclaimed on March 11, 1990, but not a single country in the world then decided to recognize the emergence of a new state.
• Estonia, Latvia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. The period from March 30 to May 27, 1990.
• Georgia. The last republic, the output of which occurred before the August GKChP.

The situation in the country was becoming unsettled. On the evening of December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev addresses the people and resigns as head of state.

The collapse of the USSR: causes and consequences

The cessation of the existence of the USSR was preceded by many factors, the main of which is economic crisis.

Analysts and historians cannot give an unambiguous answer to this question, so let's call main reasons :

• Economic downturn. The collapse of the economy led to a shortage of not only consumer goods (TVs, refrigerators, furniture), but also to interruptions in food supply.
• Ideology. The only communist ideology in the country did not let people with fresh ideas and new outlooks on life into its ranks. The result is a long-term lag behind the developed countries of the world in many spheres of life.
• Inefficient production. The stake on simple materials and inefficient production mechanisms worked at a high cost of hydrocarbons. After the collapse in oil prices, which occurred in the early 80s, the country's treasury had nothing to fill, and the rapid restructuring of the economy aggravated the situation in the country.

Consequences of the collapse:

• Geopolitical situation. The economic and military confrontation between the two superpowers of the 20th century: the USA and the USSR has ceased.
• New countries. On the territory of the former empire, which occupied almost 1/6 of the land, new state formations arose.
• Economic situation. None of the countries of the former Soviet Union managed to raise the standard of living of their citizens to the level of Western countries. In many of them there is a permanent economic downturn.

The collapse of the USSR and the formation of the CIS

In turbulent times for the country, there were timid attempts by the leadership to rectify the situation. In 1991, there was a so-called " coup d'état" or putsch (putsch). In the same year, on March 17, a referendum was held on the possibility of preserving the unity of the USSR. But the economic situation was so neglected that the majority of the population believed the populist slogans and spoke out against it.

After the USSR ceased to exist, new states appeared on the world map. If we do not take into account the countries of the Baltic region, the economy of 12 countries of the former republics were tightly interconnected.

In 1991, there was a serious question of cooperation.

• November 1991 Seven republics (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and countries of the Asian region) tried to create a Union of Sovereign States (USS).
• December 1991 On December 8, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, a political pact was signed between Belarus, Russia and Ukraine on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This union initially included three countries.

In December of the same year, some other Asian countries and Kazakhstan expressed their readiness to join the new union formation. The last to join the CIS was Uzbekistan (January 4, 1992), after which the composition of the participants was 12 countries.

USSR and the price of oil

For some reason, many financial experts, speaking of the demise of the Soviet Union, blame the low cost of hydrocarbons for this. In the first place put the price of oil, which in two years (in the period from 1985 - 1986) has almost halved.

In fact, this does not reflect the general picture that existed in the economy of the USSR at that time. With the 1980 Olympics, the country met with the fastest surge in oil prices ever. More than 35 dollars per barrel. But the systematic problems in the economy (the consequences of 20 years of Brezhnev's "stagnation") began precisely from that year.

War in Afghanistan

Another of the many factors that caused the weakening of the Soviet regime - ten year war in Afghanistan. The reason for the military confrontation was the successful attempt by the United States to change the leadership of this country. The geopolitical defeat near its borders left the USSR no other options but to bring Soviet troops into the territory of Afghanistan.

As a result, the Soviet Union received "its own Vietnam", which had a detrimental effect both on the country's economy and undermined the moral foundation of the Soviet people.

Although the USSR installed its ruler in Kabul, many consider this war, which finally ended in 1989, one of the main reasons for the collapse of the country.

3 more reasons that caused the collapse of the USSR

The country's economy and the war in Afghanistan were not the only reasons that "helped" to break up the Soviet Union. Let's call 3 more events, which occurred in the mid-late 90s of the last century, and many began to associate with the collapse of the USSR:

1. Fall of the Iron Curtain. Propaganda the Soviet leadership about the "terrible" standard of living in the United States and the democratic countries of Europe, collapsed after the fall iron curtain.
2. Man-made disasters. Since the mid-80s, all over the country have passed man-made disasters . The apogee was the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
3. Morality. The low morale of people holding public office helped development in the country theft and lawlessness .

Now you know why the USSR collapsed. Whether this is good or bad is up to everyone to decide. But the history of mankind does not stand still and, perhaps, in the near future, we will witness the creation of new state unions.

Video about the collapse of the USSR

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Exactly 20 years ago, on December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned powers of the President of the USSR, and The Soviet Union ceased to exist.

Currently, among historians there is no consensus on what was the main reason for the collapse of the USSR, and also on whether it was possible to prevent this process.

We recall the events of 20 years ago.

Demonstration in the center of Vilnius for the independence of the Republic of Lithuania on January 10, 1990. In general, the Baltic republics were at the forefront of the struggle for independence, and Lithuania was the first of the Soviet republics to proclaim it already on March 11, 1990. On the territory of the republic, the Constitution of the USSR was terminated and the Lithuanian constitution of 1938 was renewed. (Photo by Vitaly Armand | AFP | Getty Images):

The independence of Lithuania was not recognized at that time either by the government of the USSR or by other countries. In response to the declaration of independence, the Soviet government undertook an "economic blockade" of Lithuania, and from January 1991 military force was used - the capture of television stations and other important buildings in Lithuanian cities.

In the Foto: Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at a meeting with residents of Vilnius, Lithuania, January 11, 1990. (Photo by Victor Yurchenk | AP):

Weapons confiscated from local police in Kaunas, Lithuania, March 26, 1990. Soviet President Gorbachev ordered Lithuania to hand over firearms to the Soviet authorities. (Photo by Vadimir Vyatkin | Novisti AP):

The Soviet republics declare their independence one by one. In the Foto: the crowd blocks the road to Soviet tanks on the approach to the city of Kirovabad (Ganja) - the second largest city in Azerbaijan, January 22, 1990. (AP Photo):

The disintegration (collapse) of the USSR took place against the backdrop of a general economic, political and demographic crisis. In the period 1989-1991. the main problem of the Soviet economy - a chronic commodity shortage - comes to the surface. Practically all basic goods, except for bread, disappear from free sale. Practically in all regions of the country, a rationed sale of goods by coupons is being introduced. (Photo by Dusan Vranic | AP):

Rally of Soviet mothers near Red Square in Moscow, December 24, 1990. About 6,000 people died in 1990 while serving in the Soviet armed forces. (Photo by Martin Cleaver | AP):

Manezhnaya Square in Moscow was repeatedly the site of mass rallies, including unauthorized ones, during perestroika. In the Foto: another rally, where more than 100 thousand participants demand the resignation of the President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev, and also oppose the use of military force by the Soviet army against Lithuania, January 20, 1991. (Photo by Vitaly Armand | AFP | Getty Images):

anti-soviet leaflets on a wall erected in front of the Lithuanian parliament as a defense against Soviet assault, January 17, 1991. (Photo by Liu Heung Shing | AP):

January 13, 1991 Soviet troops stormed the TV tower in Vilnius. The local population put up active resistance, as a result, 13 people died, dozens were injured. (Photo by Stringer | AFP | Getty Images):

And again Manezhnaya Square in Moscow. March 10, 1991 was held here biggest anti-government rally throughout the history of Soviet power: hundreds of thousands of people demanded the resignation of Gorbachev. (Photo by Dominique Mollard | AP):

A few days before the August putsch. Mikhail Gorbachev at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, 1991

August coup August 19, 1991 was an attempt to remove Gorbachev from the presidency of the USSR, undertaken by the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP) - a group of figures from the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the government of the USSR, the army and the KGB. It led to radical changes in the political situation in the country and irreversible acceleration of the collapse of the USSR.

The actions of the State Emergency Committee were accompanied by the declaration of a state of emergency, the entry of troops into the center of Moscow, and the introduction of strict censorship in the media. The leadership of the RSFSR (Boris Yeltsin), the leadership of the USSR (President Mikhail Gorbachev) qualified the actions of the State Emergency Committee as a coup d'état. Tanks at the Kremlin, August 19, 1991. (Photo by Dima Tanin | AFP | Getty Images):

Leaders of the August coup, members of the State Emergency Committee from left to right: Minister of the Interior Boris Pugo, Vice President of the USSR Gennady Yanaev and Deputy Chairman of the Defense Council under the President of the USSR Oleg Baklanov. Press conference August 19, 1991 in Moscow. The members of the GKChP chose the moment when Gorbachev was away - on vacation in the Crimea - and announced his temporary removal from power, allegedly for health reasons. (Photo by Vitaly Armand | AFP | Getty Images):

In total, about 4 thousand military personnel, 362 tanks, 427 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles were brought into Moscow. In the Foto: the crowd blocks the movement of the column, August 19, 1991. (Photo by Boris Yurchenko | AP):

Russian President Boris Yeltsin arrives at the "White House" (Supreme Council of the RSFSR) and organizes a center of resistance to the actions of the State Emergency Committee. Resistance takes the form of rallies that gather in Moscow to defend the White House and create barricades around it, August 19, 1991. (Photo by Anatoly Sapronyenkov | AFP | Getty Images):

However, the members of the State Emergency Committee did not have full control over their forces, and on the very first day, units of the Taman division went over to the side of the White House defenders. From the tank of this division he said his famous message to the assembled supporters Yeltsin, August 19, 1991. (Photo by Diane-Lu Hovasse | AFP | Getty Images):

President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev delivers a video message August 19, 1991. He calls what is happening a coup d'état. At this moment, Gorbachev is blocked by troops at his dacha in the Crimea. (Photo by NBC TV | AFP | Getty Images):

As a result of clashes with the military three people died- Defender of the White House. (Photo by Dima Tanin | AFP | Getty Images):

(Photo by Andre Durand | AFP | Getty Images):

Boris Yeltsin addressing supporters from the balcony of the White House, August 19, 1991. (Photo by Dima Tanin | AFP | Getty Images):

On August 20, 1991, more than 25,000 people gathered in front of the White House to support Boris Yeltsin. (Photo by Vitaly Armand | AFP | Getty Images):

Barricades at the White House, August 21, 1991. (Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images):

On the evening of August 21, Mikhail Gorbachev contacted Moscow and canceled all orders of the State Emergency Committee. (Photo by AFP | EPA | Alain-Pierre Hovasse):

August 22 all GKChP members were arrested. The army began to leave Moscow. (Photo by Willy Slingerland | AFP | Getty Images):

Streets meet the news of the failure of the coup d'état, August 22, 1991. (AP Photo):

President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin announced that a decision had been made to make a white-azure-red banner the new state flag of Russia. (Photo by AFP | EPA | Alain-Pierre Hovasse):

Announced in Moscow mourning for the dead, August 22, 1991. (Photo by Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images):

Dismantling of the monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky at Lubyanka, August 22, 1991. It was a spontaneous outburst of revolutionary energy. (Photo by Anatoly Sapronenkov | AFP | Getty Ima):

Dismantling the barricades at the White House, August 25, 1991. (Photo by Alain-Pierre Hovasse | AFP | Getty Images):

The August coup led to irreversible acceleration of the collapse of the USSR. On October 18, the Constitutional Act "On State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was adopted. (Photo by Anatoly Sapronenkov | AFP | Getty Images):

A month after the August events, on September 28, 1991, on the field of the Tushino airfield in Moscow, a grandiose rock festival "Monsters of Rock". It was attended by the giants and legends of world rock music "AC / DC" and "Metallica". Neither before nor after, nothing more similar in scope in the expanses of the Soviet Union happened. According to various estimates, the number of spectators ranged from 600 to 800 thousand people (the figure is also called 1,000,000 people). (Photo by Stephan Bentura | AFP | Getty Images):

Dismantled monument to Lenin from the center of Vilnius, Lithuania, September 1, 1991. (Photo by Gerard Fouet | AFP | Getty Images):

The joy of the local population about withdrawal of Soviet troops from Chechnya, Grozny, September 1, 1991. (AP Photo):

After the failure of the August coup, on August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopted Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. It was confirmed by the results of the referendum on December 1, 1991, in which 90.32% of the population who came to the polls voted for independence. (Photo by Boris Yurchenko | AP):

By December 1991, 16 Soviet republics declared their independence. On December 12, 1991, the withdrawal of the Russian Republic from the USSR was proclaimed, which actually ceased to exist. Mikhail Gorbachev was still the president of a non-existent state.

December 25, 1991 Mikhail Gorbachev announces the termination of his activities as President of the USSR "for reasons of principle", signed a decree resigning as the Supreme Commander of the Soviet Armed Forces and transferred control of strategic nuclear weapons to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Soviet flag fluttering over the Kremlin in recent days. On New Year's Day 1991-1992, a new Russian flag was already flying over the Kremlin. (Photo by Gene Berman | AP).

The collapse of the USSR occurred in 1991, and the history of Russia began. Numerous states that quite recently called themselves "brothers forever" now fiercely defended the right to sovereignty, and even fought with each other.

Meanwhile reasons for the collapse of the USSR lie on the surface, moreover, the collapse of the Soviet empire was inevitable.

Reasons for the collapse of the USSR: why did the Union collapse?

Historians, sociologists and political scientists identify several main reasons collapse of the USSR:

• Totalitarian regime. A country where any dissent is punishable by death, imprisonment or a certificate of incapacity is doomed to death, so only the "capture" will be at least a little weakened and citizens will be able to raise their heads.
• International conflicts. Despite the declared "brotherhood of peoples", in reality, the Soviet state simply turned a blind eye to ethnic strife, preferred not to notice and hush up the problem. Therefore, at the end of the 80s, a long-awaited explosion occurred in several places at once - these are Georgia, and Chechnya, and Karabakh, and Tatarstan.
• Economic downturn. After the global fall in oil prices, the Union had a hard time - many still remember the total shortage of all products and huge queues.
• Iron Curtain and Cold War. The Soviet Union artificially whipped up anti-Western hysteria, convincing its citizens that there were only enemies everywhere, spending huge amounts of money on defense and the arms race, ridiculing and forbidding any trends from the rest of the world. The forbidden fruit is sweet, and over time, the Soviet people began to feel much more trust in both the things and the ideas of the Western world.

From the USSR to the CIS.

1991 became the year of the collapse of the USSR, and Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as president. A new state arose - Russia, and a new "union" of free independent countries - the CIS. This association included all the former republics of the Soviet Union - but now each of them lived according to its own laws, maintaining only neighborly relations with others.

In most of the articles on our website, we touch on everyday issues and reveal the secrets of their solution. But sometimes, sitting at home in the evening, I want to read real secrets that relate to more global issues and topics that will cause questions and disputes for many generations. Today we will try to consider the reasons for the collapse of the USSR and touch on the consequences of its collapse a little, because this topic still causes ambiguous opinion among the majority. But well, let's go back more than 20 years ago and evaluate the situation of that time.

Causes of the collapse of the USSR

Consider the most basic versions of why the USSR collapsed. In order to analyze the reasons for the collapse of the USSR, someone returns to 1991, during the days of the August Putsch, and someone returns to 1985, when the “perestroika” Gorbachev came to power. But personally, I am inclined to think that we need to go back to the 1980s, it was then that the so-called point of no return began, from which the countdown of the existence of the USSR began. So let's start in order.

1. Personnel shortage

   Probably one of the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR is the shortage of party personnel. To do this, it is enough to remember, thanks to whom the USSR was formed and who was its leadership initially? At first they were, in fact, fanatics of their idea, revolutionaries who sought to overthrow the tsarist regime and build communism, where all people are equal and, working, will live in abundance. After the war, the leadership positions in the USSR were occupied by ex-military, this disciplined old generation, which had an ardent communist ideology, they really wanted to build communism. Most of them could not even allow the thought that at least one penny from the state budget was stolen, although they used state benefits and their official position, but this can be ignored at all, especially when compared with today's leaders. However, this old generation could not last forever, when the leaders began to die to replace them, they could not find worthy personnel, or they simply did not let the worthy ones in, since the rest had their own plans.

   Probably, it all started from the moment when "dear" Leonid Ilyich became completely "bad", many witnesses of that period noted that Gen.Sek. very strongly "surrendered", and quite quickly and strongly. The reason for this, many historians call "Brezhnev's injections", which were pricked by a nurse, an employee of the KGB. At the same time, the logical chain converges, Andropov was the chairman of the KGB at that time, he had long been aiming for the place of Brezhnev, and it is quite possible that such injections were really purposefully administered to worsen the state of health of Leonid Ilyich. Andropov's dream came true, in November 1982 he headed the state after the death of Brezhnev, at the age of 69.

   But Andropov's reign ended after 15 months, because before taking up the post of General Secretary, he knew that he did not have long to live, but, nevertheless, he took such a high post. Andrpov's death was the second funeral in 2 years, when the last funeral of the Soviet leader was in 1953. The second consecutive death of the head of the country in such a short period of time could not but affect the country, in all its spheres. Andropov's place was taken by Chernenko, who at that time was already 72 years old, but Konstantin Ustinovich also died almost a year after his appointment to the main post of the country. The third funeral for the USSR was a blow, the country is losing the ideological fundamentalists of communism, and also does not have a clear development path, since Andropov and Chernenko had their own plans, but did not manage to realize them.

   Among the people even jokes on this topic began to go. Understanding such an absurd situation, the Politburo decides to elect the relatively young Gorbachev as the head of the country, who at that time was 54 years old, and he was really young in the political bureau, from that moment the collapse of the USSR began to occur at an irreversible pace, Gorbachev became the catalyst for this process.

   The incompetence of the new leadership headed by Gorbachev, as well as new personnel in the political. the bureau and leadership of the country, who eventually turned out to be traitors, the desire of the leaders of the union republics to secede and make their countries independent in order to lead them themselves - all this is the result of Gorbachev's perestroika.

   

2. "Everyone pulled the blanket over himself"

   As mentioned just above, all the leaders of the allied states "pulled the blanket over themselves" and they all wanted independence. Perestroika weakened the tight control, both over the leaders and over the people. As a result, all the leaders of the allied states, one way or another, tried to separate and proclaim independence at the opportunity. The destruction of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany added fuel to the fire. Mass protests and unrest in the Baltic States and in some other republics brought their own imbalance.

   The beginning of the end happened in August 1991, when the "August putsch" took place, as a result of this coup d'état, within a month, the Baltic countries left the USSR. After that, the Soviet Union began to crumble. This also includes the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, where a military clash began between the Armenian SSR and the Azerbaijan USSR, Moldova, etc.

   Against the backdrop of all these events, after the referendum on "preserving the union", the leadership of the union republics nevertheless declared independence.

3. Ideology has outlived its usefulness

   It's no secret that the USSR rested on communist ideology, it was propagated from everywhere. From birth, the child was instilled with communist values, even starting from kindergarten, and especially at school, in which all students became Octobrists, and after that - pioneers, and so on. More than one generation lived according to this scheme, but the years passed, the world changed, and the communist ideology could not resist it.

   The main ideologists of the country and leaders passed away and in their place, as was said in the first reason, incompetent people came who did not believe in communism, they did not need it. Moreover, the people themselves stopped believing in him, especially when the crisis began.

   The rallies suppressed by special services and the persecution of opposition figures were probably one of the keys to the successful existence of the USSR, but during perestroika, the opposition became more active and launched an active unhindered activity.

   Perhaps, the Chernobyl disaster can also be attributed to this reason, since it dealt a significant blow both to the reputation of the USSR and its leaders, and affected people. The Soviet system, which forced builders into the framework for the delivery of facilities within a certain time frame, and to coincide with the communist holidays, made itself felt, and very cruelly, with the Chernobyl tragedy. The fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, just like all the previous three units, was put into operation with violations, according to experts, the fourth power unit could not be operated at all, since it did not meet safety standards, the builders had to hand it over on time. This factor, as well as the looseness of the system and the experiments carried out on that ill-fated night, became fatal in everything. Deliberate concealment of the consequences of the explosion, further aggravated the situation. As a result, all this was a powerful blow to the entire Soviet system and the country as a whole.

4. Crisis in all areas

   As they say: the fish rots from the head, and so it happened with the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was not a strong leader, and in order to hold on to such a large country, a strong person is needed. The country needed radical reforms, but all the reforms undertaken were failures. The lack of goods on the shelves, their constant shortage, huge queues, the depreciation of money - all these are the consequences of perestroika. People are simply tired of living like this, or rather, surviving, without any prospect that this crisis will ever end.

   

5. "Pepsi Cola and Jeans"

   With the advent of Gorbachev to power, the iron curtain began to slowly rise, and Western fashion poured in to us, its main attributes, perhaps, were jeans and Pepsi-Cola. Seeing how they live in the west, how they dress, what they drive, etc. Soviet citizens wanted the same. By the end of the 80s, the word "Lenin" and "communism" became the subject of ridicule, people smelled freedom and wanted change, which was reflected in the song of V. Tsoi.

6. The Americans still won

   Everyone knows that America was the main enemy of the USSR. There has always been a confrontation between the USA and the USSR, and in almost everything. Both countries were considered superpowers and fought for world domination, and the ideologies and worldviews of the two countries were completely different.

   There is a version that Gorbachev collaborated with the United States, it was not for nothing that they called him a “good guy”. There is also an opinion that Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko were killed, and all traces of these murders lead to the CIA. The neutralization of the entire old party nomenklatura, of that temper, and the appointment of Gorbachev, a pro-democratic politician, played into the hands of the Americans. The Cold War of that time ended peacefully and in cold blood. Why go to war with the weapon system if you can help this system outlive itself...

Afterword

These, in my opinion, are the main reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed. Someone, for sure, will be inclined to one of the versions, but someone, including myself, is inclined to all these versions, that is, all the reasons listed above provoked the collapse of the USSR in the aggregate, some of them to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent, but, nevertheless, all of the above played a role.

As for the consequences, we can see them ourselves, not a single country that was part of the USSR, after the collapse, acquired the values ​​that it aspired to. But, nevertheless, you should not be nostalgic about the USSR, since life was then closed, it’s just that people were kinder, and there was less theft of government officials, that’s the whole secret of a fabulous time.