The Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991 from "summary" of A People's Tragedy by Orlando Figes
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was the culmination of a long and tumultuous process of political, economic, and social transformation. This disintegration marked the end of an era that had begun with the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. The dissolution of the Soviet Union was not a sudden event, but rather the result of a gradual breakdown of the centralized authority that had held the vast empire together for over seven decades.
The seeds of the Soviet Union's demise were sown in the 1980s, when the country faced a series of crises that exposed the weaknesses of the communist system. The economy was in shambles, plagued by inefficiency, corruption, and a lack of innovation. The political system was rife with corruption and nepotism, and the ruling Communist Party was losing legitimacy in the eyes of the people.
Mikhail Gorbachev, who came to power in 1985, attempted to reform the Soviet system through his policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). While these reforms were initially hailed as a breath of fresh air, they ultimately had the unintended consequence of loosening the reins of central authority. The loosening of control unleashed long-suppressed nationalist sentiments in the republics of the Soviet Union, which had been forcibly united under the banner of communism.
The Baltic states were the first to break away from the Soviet Union, declaring their independence in 1990. This move set off a chain reaction of secessions in other republics, as the people sought to reclaim their national identities and chart their own destinies. The failed coup attempt in August 1991, orchestrated by hardline communists who sought to restore the old order, only accelerated the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
On December 25, 1991, the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin for the last time, marking the official end of the Soviet Union. The once-mighty empire had crumbled into fifteen independent states, each grappling with the challenges of nation-building and democracy. The disintegration of the Soviet Union was a momentous event that reshaped the political landscape of the world, marking the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era of global politics.
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