How far do you agree that for the GDR the results of the building of the Berlin Wall proved to be mainly negative? The building of the Berlin Wall affected East Germany in numerous ways. Many could argue that the affects were mainly negative as it seemed to highlight the oppressive lifestyle scheme of the GDR in comparison to that of the FRG. Although it can also be argued that the building of the Berlin Wall was not at all negative as it is considered to have pushed occupants in order to make society more successful. Overall I think that the building of the Berlin Wall could actually have had a more positive effect.
This effectively weakened the success of a revolution because of the lack of organization and co-operation. Every group had their own agenda, so each group revolted individually. The growth of resentment in the Russian population had been harboring for many years. Due to the centuries of repression the people had decided that the autocratic system in Russia was old fashioned. The redemption payments that were to be payed for 49 years were an example of the unfair taxation's that were put on the peasants.
The product quality was far beyond Western standards which did not meet the people’s needs and the environment suffered heavy disasters. By the early 80’s the economy was in decline again, and it’s the first time the Soviet Union faced a negative growth rate. Also the political and social situation was not much better within under the fear of Stalin. Khrushchev tried to overcome this fear, and tried to suppress it. So there was still fear continued in the society.
When Gorbachev entered power he was faced with several problems. The first problem that he faced was that the Soviet economy was stagnating and desperately needed technological and financial assistance from the West. Since 1975, the USSR's industrial and production rate had been dropping and was far behind the West in developing the new technologies.. The collapse of detente in the late 1970s between the USA and USSR had led to a new and expensive arms race. Over the course of Gorbachev's position as leader, the economic problems in the Soviet Union grew worse.
This proved to be a vital factor in the ending of the Cold War however it is by no means the only one; indeed a variety of different factors ultimately caused the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and thus the end of the Cold War. The economic decline of the Soviet Union over the 1980s was an essential reason for the end of the Cold War. Various factors explain the Soviet Union’s economic crisis which led to its collapse. The Soviet soft power (that is to say its political, social and culture influence) was undercut by the exposure of Stalin's crimes in 1956 and by the repression in Hungary in 1956. Communist ideology aimed to establish justice for all, however, the lethal purges and gulags of the Stalinist era led to a general loss of confidence in the system and thus a low level of motivation in the work force.
In addition, the berlin Wall was in the construction process, increasing the cultural divide between eastern and western Europe along the Iron Curtain. When the Berlin wall was completed, people were shocked and could not fathom the wall disappear. A significant number of intellectuals fled from the east to the west to escape the communist laws of equality, as opposed to a more merit based system. The loss of these influential individuals severely damaged the economy of East Germany. When a significant population of East Germans migrated to the west, the economy was harmed to a greater extent.
This was followed by the collapse of former Soviet economic ties. Large-scale economic disaster befell the newly formed Russia. This crash was said to be even worse than the “ great depression “ that hit Americans in the early 1900’s. Furthermore The fall of the Soviet economy didn’t only effect the newly formed Russia. It hit the Cuban economy hard, the Cubans lost over 80% of its imports and exports with the collapse.
The key factors for Russia’s demographic shift are the aging population, a rising mortality rate, the collapse of the Soviet social safety net, the economic recession of the 1990’s , and the migration and dispersal of the Russian population all played a role in changing Russia’s demography on its head. The Russian Political landscape has been shaken to its core from this crisis, With the average Russian extremely impoverished and dying young, the people lost their interest in democracy and human rights and looked for answers in the authoritarian Putin, as he has won 2 election majorities. This hopelessness created a situation where Vladimir Putin could model the government on the old style of imperialist tendencies. With the Russian nation in a state of siege in relation to the outside world, Putin’s authoritarian policies were embraced and celebrated, and he was seen as a modern embodiment of the glorious leaders of Russia’s great imperial past. Aging Population The situation with aging differs throughout the country.
The Weimar Republic looked to be collapsing from the beginning. All the events that finally led to the ending of democracy in Germany were seemed to be caused by the Treaty of Versailles. The loss of the war for the Germans was a huge turning point as it was seem that the Allies wanted to crush Germany. They were unable to pay the reparations, as extremists from both the right and left wing found the war guilt clause unacceptable. When the Germans had lost World War I, had a huge impact back in Germany.
How far do you agree with the view that the Cold War came to an end because of mounting economic pressure on the Soviet Union during the 1980s? There were numerous factors that led to the end of the Cold War; amongst them economic pressure can be considered a more significant one. Supporting communist regimes in Eastern Europe had become an economic liability like Cuba, Vietnam and Afghanistan had been in the past. In the 80’s approximately $40 billion was being spent annually, which was draining the USSR’s economy, hence it can be said that the end came about partially due to mounting economic pressures. However, other factors such as: people power, role of the Pope, Gorbachev and Reagan must not be overlooked - as mentioned by Williamson ‘breaking the Soviet economy was a lobby not a strategy.’ By 1980’s it was evident that Eastern Europe was unable to compete with the West in terms of industrial production or arms, as the ‘Soviet bloc was suffering a steady economic, ideological, moral and cultural decline.’ (Williamson source 10) The decline of the Soviet Union was due to ‘its own economic inefficiencies and inability to match the West’s economic growth,’ Williamson highlights the economic pressures USSR faced and therefore backs up the statement that the war came to an end as a result of this.