To What Extent Was Gorbachev Responsible for the Collapse of Soviet Power in Eastern Europe?

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To what extent was Gorbachev responsible for the collapse of Soviet power in Eastern Europe? After the death of Brezhnev in 1982, there were signs that the Soviet leadership wished to resume its policy of detente with the USA and start the task of making the Soviet economy more competitive with the West. Following the death of his two successors Mikhail Gorbachev was elected into power and he was immediately faced with several problems. Which meant that Gorbachev could not take the entirety of the responsibility for the collapse of Soviet Power. 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 meant the beginnings of the break-up of the Soviet Union and this would have an impact on Eastern Europe. Gorbachev wished to resume detente and also resume negotiations on the reduction of armaments. He was also determined to end the Cold War because waging it was too costly and stopped him from implementing his policies of perestroika and glasnost. This meant reforming the Soviet economy and liberalising the Soviet political system. Gorbachev no longer believed that Communism would triumph over the West. Instead he worked towards achieved international co-operation between the two rival systems. This would mean 'giving in' to democratic principles and their influence within Eastern Europe. The USSR increasingly suffering from 'global over-stretch'. They were
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