Vol. 5(2), pp.

30-33, March 2017

DOI: 10.14662/IJPSD2017.003 International Journal of
Copy©right 2017 Political Science and
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
ISSN: 2360-784X Development
http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/IJPSD/Index.html

Full Length Research

Disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of Bi-

Polarity: Its causes and impact on international
relations
Javid Ahmad Mir
School of Social Sciences, Devi-Ahilya University Indore (MP). E-mail: mirjavid41@gmail.com

Accepted 4 March 2017

After the Second World War the whole world was divided into two blocs Western Bloc (USA) and
Eastern Bloc (USSR).They were clearly the masters of the world, they were ahead of all the other
countries in power and influences so they were called the Superpowers. USSR wanted to spread
communism while USA wanted to control the spread of communism. Relations between USA and USSR
became cold and detoriate such an extent that in spite of the absence of a direct military conflict
between the capitalist and communist camps there began a mutually apposing political propaganda war
fought with news papers and water paper cannon balls and this hostility continued for the next 45 years
and at last ended with the fall of one powerful bloc i.e.(U.S.S.R) on 25 December 1991. In this study an
attempt has been made to question the major causes of the disintegration of the Soviet Union and its
impact on International relations.

Keywords: Disintegration, Causes and Impact on International Relations.

Cite This Article As: Mir JA (2017). Disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of Bi-Polarity: Its causes
and impact on international relations. Inter. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 5(2): 30-33

INTRODUCTION

The Union of Soviet socialistic republics has been formed were ahead of all the other countries in power and
after the famous Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.The influences so they were called the Superpowers. USSR
revolution was based on the ideals of socialism and wanted to spread communism while USA wanted to
sought to establish an egalitarian society .The Bolshevik control the spread of communism. Many east European
revolution opposed capitalism and worked for creation a states under fascist control were librated by Soviet Union
society based on the principle of equality and abolition of during the Second World War. (Rastogi & Verma,
private property. The Bolshevik party had an important 2014:20) After the war these countries also came under
role in creation of such a system based on centralized the influence of soviet union ,The socio economic and
planning and state control. No other political party is political systems of these nations were patterned on the
opposition was allowed to operate. This Bolshevik control Soviet system .This bloc of countries was called “Second
was known as the Soviet system it was even world “or the socialist bloc. USSR Led this bloc and a
implemented in several east European states. After the military alliance called the Warsaw pact, bound them
Second World War the whole world was divided into two together .Soviet union had emerged as a big power after
blocs Western Bloc (USA) and Eastern Bloc the Second World War. The soviet economy was one of
(USSR).They were clearly the masters of the world, they the most advanced and competed with the USA. The
 Mir 31

features of the Soviet economy making it a role model study argues that the disintegration was mainly a result of
were two interrelated factors: the rise of the Soviet national
republics and the manipulation of the new Russian
 The vast network of communication, huge presidency by Boris Yeltsin in what became a direct
generation of energy resources which included oil, steel power struggle between Yeltsin and the Soviet leader,
and iron. Gorbachev.
 Huge network of machinery production and a well
developed, integrated system of transport connecting
even its most remote areas. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
 It ensured a minimum subsistence level for all
citizens. People enjoyed an optimum standard of living  To highlight the causes responsible for the
and basic necessities like Education, Childcare, Health Disintegration of the Soviet Union.
and welfare of all were provided by the state. The  To study the impact of the Disintegration of
dominant form of ownership was state control .Land and Soviet Union on International Relations.
productive assets were managed and regulated by the
state. (ibid:21)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

REVIEW OF LITERATURE In the present study mostly secondary data has been
used. Secondary data have been collected from various
Thompson J “Revolutionary Russia, 1917”.October, books, research papers and articles. In addition to this
1996, analyzed that The Russian Revolution of 1917 study, data have been collected from various journals
profoundly affected the recent history of the world. Its also. The research is also based on the referred sources-
impact has been felt in every corner of the globe. People, published, unpublished and electronic.
ideas, and events have all been touched by it. This
thought-provoking study not only offers a short, clear
narrative of what happened in 1917, but also analyzes Causes of Disintegration of Soviet Union
and discusses the whys of the revolution. Within bounds
of reasonable speculation, the author raises interpretive The disintegration of Soviet union is one of the most
questions about the events of 1917 in an effort to important events in the history of mankind it has
stimulate the interest and thinking of readers. transformed the whole nature of global politics and
dramatically altered the basic parameters in which the
Edward Walker “Dissolution: Sovereignty and the various relationships between nations, states and classes
Breakup of the Soviet Union (The Soviet Bloc have hitherto operated .On Christmas day 1991, the
and After)” soviet flag flew over the Kremlin in Moscow for the last
time. A few days earlier, representatives from eleven
March 19, 2003. The author analyzed that In December soviet republics met in the Kazakh city of Alma-Ata and
1991, the Soviet Union passed into history as a legal announced that they would no longer be part of the
entity, breaking apart into 15 successor states. Walker Soviet Union. Instead, they declared that they would
argues against much of the conventional wisdom and establish a common wealth of Independent states.
scholarly literature on the breakup, which emphasizes Because the three Baltic republics (Latvia, Lithuania and
what he calls the 'demand side' of the problem, or the Estonia) had already declared their independence from
role of nationalist mobilization and the rise of separatist the USSR, only one of its fifteen republics, Georgia
aspirations in the USSR's union republics. He points out remained. The once mighty Soviet Union had fallen
that support for dissolution was limited to a handful of largely due to the great number of radical reforms that
republics that included only a small portion of the Soviet soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev had implemented
population. Instead, the author highlights the critical role during his six years as the leader of the USSR. However
played by the USSR's ethno-federal system, as well as Gorbachev was disappointed in the dissolution of his
the normative claims and legitimizing myths of Soviet nation and resigned from his job on Dec.25.It was a
nationality policy peaceful end to a long, terrifying and sometimes bloody
epoch in world history .It is very difficult for analysts to
David R,Marples “The Collapse of the Soviet Union, find answer to the question as to why did the +soviet
1985-1991”April 28, 2004: The author analyzed that the union disintegrate perhaps there were the following
collapse of the Soviet Union has widely been seen as the causes responsible for the disintegration of soviet union.
result of the arms race and Cold War, and the failure of
the Soviet side to keep pace with new technology. This Economic Stagnation: The soviet union maintained a
32 Inter. J. Polit. Sci. Develop.

huge nuclear a military arsenal which was used to dissatisfaction to a level where it went beyond the control
develop and maintain its satellite states in eastern of the CPSU and rulers leading to the collapse of the
Europe and its soviet republics particularly the five central Soviet Union.
Asian republics. It led to a huge burden on its economy
and resources. People on Soviet Union could not Desire to get rid of Backward Central Asian
advance as rapidly as their Western adversaries’ Republics: It is ironical that during the cold war years it
.Gradually people realized the disparity between their was always suggested that the nationalists urge would
system and the western capitalism. Despite tall always be strong in Central Asian Republics, due to the
claims about the success of socialism, its hollowness was economic backwardness and ethnic and religious
exposed .It was proved that western capitalism was differences. However, as events gained momentum
better which was a sock for people of Soviet union nationalist urge emerged the strongest. This is termed as
affecting their psychology and faith in the efficiency of the the European and Balkan part of Soviet Union which
political system. included Russia, Ukraine and Georgia. People here felt
isolated and felt that they were paying too heavy an
Political and Administrative Stagnation: Soviet Union economic price to keep depleted Central Asian Republics
also suffered from political and administrative stagnation in Soviet Union. This led to the ultimate disintegration of
.The ruling CPSU was unaccountable to the people. Soviet Union.
People felt alienated by the Stifling administration there
was rampant corruption and the political elites did not try
to rectify their mistakes by allowing openness in the Impact of Disintegration of Soviet Union on
government and decentralization of authority on a wet International Relations
land .To make matters worse the Bureaucratic privileges
made the people feel isolated from the common Before analyzing the impact of the collapse of the USSR
mainstream people were unable to correlate themselves and the liquidation of socialist bloc on the international
with the rulers and prevailing system .it made the CPSU relations, it may be noted that the collapse of the Soviet
highly unpopular .Thus political and administrative Union was both total as well as partial. Total in the sense
stagnation was also responsible for the ultimate collapse that the USSR got replaced by Russia, CIS, Georgia,
of the soviet union . Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania .It was total in the sense
that it reflected the end of the era of communism in this
Role of Gorbachev: Gorbachev’s overzealous part of the world. However the collapse of soviet union
programme of reformation was the biggest cause of was also partial in the sense that the successor of the
soviet disintegration .Gorbachev introduce the erstwhile Ussr, I,e Russia inherited ¾ of territory,
“Perestroika “and “Glasnost” to reform their economy, population ,resources and the whole of nuclear arsenal of
democratize the political system, loosen the strings of the parent Ussr. Russia took over all assets and liabilities
administration and bridge the gap with the west .Though of the erstwhile USSR .The impact of the collapse of the
Gorbachev was right in initiating reforms in reality when Soviet Union which also involved the collapse of the
the reformation process set in, it loosened the system socialist bloc in international relations was indeed very
and set in motion factors and forces that few could profound and big. It can be analyzed under the following
control. Sections of the soviet society believed that heads.
Gorbachev mood gradually with his reforms while
expectations were for a rapid rate of development. End of cold war: The biggest implication of the collapse
of the Soviet Union was the end of the cold war .The
Rise of Nationalism and Desire for Sovereignty :A ideological rivalry between socialism and capitalism came
major reason for collapse of soviet union was the rise of to an end .The ideological conflict had led to the evolution
nationalism and desire for sovereignty within various of military alliance like NATO, SEATO and CENTO, led
soviet republic like Russia, Baltic republics of Estonia, by the U.S.A and Warsaw pact led by the Soviet Union. It
Latvia and Lithuania ,Ukraine Georgia etc this proved to had triggered a hostile arms race and accumulation of
be culminating point in the disintegration of soviet union nuclear weapons by the two blocs. The end of cold war
,optimists are divided over this factor the first school of ,made the end of arms race possible and establishing
opinionists believes that feelings and urges of nationalism new peace.
worked throughout the existences of soviet union and an
internal struggle was inevitable in soviet union. Given the Rise of Uni polarity in International Relations: The
vastness, size and diversity of Soviet Union, such an disintegration of the socialist bloc ,the termination of the
opinion cannot be rejected out rightly. The second school Warsaw pact and the collapse of the Ussr created uni
of opinionists believed that the reformation started by polarity in international relations with the U.S.A. as the
Gorbachev speeded up the nationalist urge and sole surviving super power in the world .The uni polarity
 Mir 33

in the international relations got reflected from the its impact on international relations. It gives us an idea of
continued presence of NATO, the dominant position of what is it that should be considered as the cause of the
the U.S.A in the world in general and the UN in particular, disintegration of the USSR. It was found that the major
and the inability or unwillingness on the part of the major cause of fall of the Soviet Union is the Soviet model of
powers to oppose are challenge the US power in the socialism itself. The other causes that seem to
world. exacerbate the disintegration process are more or less
the rise of nationalism and also the desire of the people
Ideological Uni Polarasim: The collapse of the socialist for sovereignty, Desire to get rid of Backward Central
USSR as well as the other socialist countries of the Asian Republics and Hence, the Soviet model of
Europe gave a serious and fatal blow to the ideology of socialism is at odds with the socialism in many respects,
communism. Further, the acceptance and adoption of it is, therefore, argued that the Soviet communism rather
liberalization, democracy, decentralization and market than socialism should be considered as the major cause
economy by almost all the states gave a further blow to of the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
the popularity of communism in the world. (USSR). It has been also concluded from the above study
that the collapse of the Soviet Union along with the end of
Change in the politics of Europe: The collapse of cold war, liberalization of eastern Europe and emergence
socialist bloc and the USSR was accompanied by the of uni Polarasim in power structure and ideological
end of Russian rule in European politics. The rise of non environment acted as a source of profound and big
communist regimes through movements for democracy changes in the international relations of the last decade
th
and liberalization in the eastern European states gave a of the 20 century .The emergence of unipolarity with the
new look to European politics. U.S.A as the sole surviving super power, the changes in
the politics of Europe, the increase in the number of new
Emergence of New States: The collapse of the soviet nation states came to the major realities of the post
bloc led to the emergence of many new countries. With USSR international relations.
their own autonomous choices and aspirations ,many of
these states especially the Baltic and East European
states wanted to join the European union and the North REFERENCES
Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) .Along with these
states ,the Central Asian Republics also wanted to  David R, Marples “The Collapse of the Soviet Union,
continue their intimate ties with Russia while paving for 1985-1991”April 28, 2004.
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states .The collapse of bi-polarity, therefore witnessed Breakup of the Soviet Union (The Soviet Bloc and
the emergence of new players each with their own after)” March 19, 2003.
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years after the fall of the Berlin wall.”November 2,
2009.
CONCLUSION  Khan Sajjad Ali “The fall of Soviet Union: The fall of a
state or the fall of an ideology.
The above discussion is more or less a comprehensive  Rastogi G.N and Verma Arvind Kumar “Disintegration
account on the reasons of the fall of the Soviet Union and of Second world and the end of bi-polarity” (2014)
 Thompson J “Revolutionary Russia, 1917”.October,
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