The Fall of Communism & the Political Transformation of Eastern Europe.

The Fall of Communism The Fall of Communism & the Political & the Political

Transformation of Transformation of Eastern EuropeEastern Europe

Terms of (dis)Union Terms of (dis)Union Confederation 60 Years OnConfederation 60 Years On

Wednesday, April 1, 7:30-9:30pm Wednesday, April 1, 7:30-9:30pm Inco Lecture Theatre – room IIC-2001Inco Lecture Theatre – room IIC-2001

(All Welcome – free parking in lot 18)(All Welcome – free parking in lot 18)

Panel DiscussantsPanel DiscussantsTerry Bishop-Stirling, HistoryTerry Bishop-Stirling, History

Christopher Dunn, Political ScienceChristopher Dunn, Political ScienceJim Feehan, EconomicsJim Feehan, Economics

Russell Wangersky, The TelegramRussell Wangersky, The TelegramJeff Webb, HistoryJeff Webb, History

ModeratorModeratorDoug Letto, CBC TVDoug Letto, CBC TV

Final examFinal exam

Friday, April 17Friday, April 17thth

3-5:00 p.m.3-5:00 p.m. LocationLocation

• SN3042SN3042 Format: Format:

• Largely essayLargely essay• Some shorter responseSome shorter response• Greater emphasis on work since the midtermGreater emphasis on work since the midterm• Further information ThursdayFurther information Thursday

1989 in context1989 in context Momentous events: Momentous events:

• Fall of the Berlin WallFall of the Berlin Wall• collapse or transformation of Communist collapse or transformation of Communist

regimes in east-central Europeregimes in east-central Europe HungaryHungary DDR (German Democratic Republic)DDR (German Democratic Republic) PolandPoland CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia BulgariaBulgaria RomaniaRomania

Followed by Followed by • Re-unification of Germany, 1990Re-unification of Germany, 1990• Break up of the Soviet Union, 1990-91Break up of the Soviet Union, 1990-91

Soviet and East European regimesSoviet and East European regimes

Ostensibly regimes in which a ruling Ostensibly regimes in which a ruling Communist party was overseeing Communist party was overseeing transition from socialism to communismtransition from socialism to communism

Party-state Party-state systemssystems in which in which • The state owned means of productionThe state owned means of production• Ruling party interpenetrated state Ruling party interpenetrated state

apparatusapparatus• State planned and directed the economy State planned and directed the economy

through 5 year plansthrough 5 year plans

Ruling Communist partiesRuling Communist parties

Typically the only legal party: Typically the only legal party: • Restricted membershipRestricted membership• Purges – especially in Stalin period Purges – especially in Stalin period

Constitutionally the “leading and guiding Constitutionally the “leading and guiding force”force”

Parties were vast bureaucratic structure, Parties were vast bureaucratic structure, paralleling and shadowing state structuresparalleling and shadowing state structures• Functioned as mammoth personnel agency,Functioned as mammoth personnel agency,

recruiting and socializing loyal membersrecruiting and socializing loyal members deploying them through state apparatusdeploying them through state apparatus

Ideological orthodoxy enforced in varying Ideological orthodoxy enforced in varying degreesdegrees

The USSRThe USSR

Stalin and StalinismStalin and Stalinism• Purges and show trials in 1930sPurges and show trials in 1930s• Collectivization of agricultureCollectivization of agriculture• Rapid industrializationRapid industrialization

Following death of Stalin in 1953Following death of Stalin in 1953• Relaxation of totalitarian featuresRelaxation of totalitarian features• Denunciation of Stalin at 20Denunciation of Stalin at 20thth Party Congress Party Congress

(1956)(1956)• Continuation of central planning – but some shift Continuation of central planning – but some shift

toward consumer goodstoward consumer goods• Some Some limited limited space for dissent within an space for dissent within an

authoritarian party-state authoritarian party-state

Communism in Eastern EuropeCommunism in Eastern Europe

Soviet-style systems established Soviet-style systems established after WW IIafter WW II

Ruling Communist parties purgedRuling Communist parties purged Similar attempts at central planningSimilar attempts at central planning Uprisings and rebellions suppressedUprisings and rebellions suppressed

• East Germany – 1953East Germany – 1953• Hungary – 1956Hungary – 1956• Czechoslovakia (“Prague Spring”) 1968Czechoslovakia (“Prague Spring”) 1968

Variations in Variations in Actually Existing Actually Existing SocialismSocialism

HungaryHungary• Gradual relaxation following 1956 Gradual relaxation following 1956

repression repression • Managerial autonomyManagerial autonomy• Goulash socialismGoulash socialism

PolandPoland Party unable to establish complete controlParty unable to establish complete control De-collectivization of land under GomulkaDe-collectivization of land under Gomulka Periodic resistance to food price increasesPeriodic resistance to food price increases

• Workers strike 1970, again in 1976Workers strike 1970, again in 1976• Increases rolled back with government & USSR Increases rolled back with government & USSR

subsidizing Polessubsidizing Poles Strong national identityStrong national identity Independent position of Roman Catholic Independent position of Roman Catholic

Church -- reinforced when Cardinal Wojtyla Church -- reinforced when Cardinal Wojtyla becomes Pope John Paul II in 1978becomes Pope John Paul II in 1978

Poland: 1980-1981 Poland: 1980-1981

Nationwide resistance to price increasesNationwide resistance to price increases Solidarity Trade Union formed (1980)Solidarity Trade Union formed (1980) Party chair Gierek negotiates with Party chair Gierek negotiates with

SolidaritySolidarity• Free trade unions permittedFree trade unions permitted• Right to strike recognizedRight to strike recognized• Censorship to be easedCensorship to be eased• Political prisoners to be releasedPolitical prisoners to be released

Warsaw Pact divided about responseWarsaw Pact divided about response

Poland: 1981-1989Poland: 1981-1989 General General Jaruzelski Jaruzelski made Prime Ministermade Prime Minister Solidarity cautions restraintSolidarity cautions restraint

• Demand for free trade unions throughout east Demand for free trade unions throughout east Europe = demand too farEurope = demand too far

Solidarity bannedSolidarity banned• Assumes underground existence – Assumes underground existence – • Sheltered by RC Church & increasingly Sheltered by RC Church & increasingly

independent civil societyindependent civil society• Cat & mouse game with authoritiesCat & mouse game with authorities

Jaruzelski’s role: Jaruzelski’s role: • A hardliner, soft-liner, or mediator?A hardliner, soft-liner, or mediator?

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Wartime partisan movement comes Wartime partisan movement comes to powerto power

Independent of Soviet control from Independent of Soviet control from 19481948

Experiments with workplace Experiments with workplace democracydemocracy

After Tito’s death (1980) growing After Tito’s death (1980) growing centrifugal pressurescentrifugal pressures

More orthodox regimesMore orthodox regimes German Democratic Republic (DDR)German Democratic Republic (DDR)

• Repression of revolt in 1953Repression of revolt in 1953• Construction of Berlin Wall, 1961Construction of Berlin Wall, 1961• Maintenance of vast spy apparatus – Maintenance of vast spy apparatus – StasiStasi

CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia• Strong domestic communist party comes to Strong domestic communist party comes to

power after WW IIpower after WW II• Prague Spring (1968)Prague Spring (1968)= brief interlude= brief interlude• Repression resumes after Warsaw pact Repression resumes after Warsaw pact

invasioninvasion

Problems in the 1970s and 1980sProblems in the 1970s and 1980s

Limits of central planningLimits of central planning• Difficulty of targeting Difficulty of targeting • All thumbs and no fingersAll thumbs and no fingers

Growing problems of corruption: Growing problems of corruption: • Party & Party & nomenklature nomenklature (those appointed)(those appointed) as as

privileged eliteprivileged elite• A stratified rather than classless societyA stratified rather than classless society

Ability to improve living conditions to a Ability to improve living conditions to a certain extent, but not beyondcertain extent, but not beyond

Growing stagnation (especially USSRGrowing stagnation (especially USSR)) Difficulty containing dissentDifficulty containing dissent

Containing dissentContaining dissent Manifestations:Manifestations:

• Samizdat Samizdat (USSR) (USSR)• KOR (Committee of Resistance, Poland, from 1976)KOR (Committee of Resistance, Poland, from 1976)• SolidaritySolidarity• Charter ’77 (Czechoslovakia)Charter ’77 (Czechoslovakia)

Different solutions tried:Different solutions tried:• Co-optation and exclusionCo-optation and exclusion• Marginalization or exileMarginalization or exile• RepressionRepression

Parties’ dilemma Parties’ dilemma • cooperation & energy of intellectuals & civil society was cooperation & energy of intellectuals & civil society was

neededneeded• Allowing autonomy risked loss of controlAllowing autonomy risked loss of control

Reform and transformation in the Reform and transformation in the USSRUSSR

1964-1980 1964-1980 • Collective leadership under BrezhnevCollective leadership under Brezhnev• Rule by aging gerontocracyRule by aging gerontocracy• Party in fact divided between defenders of status quo & Party in fact divided between defenders of status quo &

reformersreformers 1981-1983 1981-1983

• Andropov (ex. KGB) initiates reformsAndropov (ex. KGB) initiates reforms• But slowed by illness & deathBut slowed by illness & death

1983-841983-84• Chernenko assumes controlChernenko assumes control• Member of old guardMember of old guard• Sick, diesSick, dies

Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary, 1985Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary, 1985

Gorbachev (1985-91)Gorbachev (1985-91) Andropov protégé Andropov protégé

• Aware of stagnation &Aware of stagnation &• Diminished ability to compete militarily with WestDiminished ability to compete militarily with West

Attempts to reform the system from within - Attempts to reform the system from within - emphasizeemphasize• GlasnostGlasnost (openness) –state admits truth(openness) –state admits truth• Perestrioka:Perestrioka: restructuring, reform, e.g.restructuring, reform, e.g.

Encourage competition within partyEncourage competition within party Loosen grip of party on stateLoosen grip of party on state

Problems:Problems:• Large bureaucratic organizations difficult to reformLarge bureaucratic organizations difficult to reform• Resistance from those who prefer discipline to reformResistance from those who prefer discipline to reform• Party (CPSU) was lynchpin holding system togetherParty (CPSU) was lynchpin holding system together

Consequences:Consequences:

1985 summit: improved relations 1985 summit: improved relations with west with west

Internal turmoil in USSRInternal turmoil in USSR• Reform stalledReform stalled• Growing nationality problemsGrowing nationality problems

Party loosens grip on stateParty loosens grip on state USSR loosens grip on Eastern EuropeUSSR loosens grip on Eastern Europe USSR itself poised to disintegrate USSR itself poised to disintegrate

Transformation in Eastern EuropeTransformation in Eastern Europe

DDRDDR• Massive demonstrationsMassive demonstrations• Increased exit (via Hungary)Increased exit (via Hungary)• Regime attempts transformation – loses grip Regime attempts transformation – loses grip

and will to repress –opens Berlin Walland will to repress –opens Berlin Wall PolandPoland

• Military had assumed power following 1981Military had assumed power following 1981• Cat and mouse game with SolidarityCat and mouse game with Solidarity• Negotiated transition in 1989 – with seats Negotiated transition in 1989 – with seats

guaranteed for Communists guaranteed for Communists

Transformation– cont’dTransformation– cont’d CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

• Comes alive in late 1989Comes alive in late 1989• DemonstrationsDemonstrations• Regime collapsesRegime collapses

HungaryHungary• Communist Party surrenders monopoly, permits Communist Party surrenders monopoly, permits

competitioncompetition BulgariaBulgaria

• Elections permittedElections permitted RomaniaRomania

• Rebellion from within regimeRebellion from within regime USSR:USSR:

• Baltic States break away in 1990Baltic States break away in 1990• USSR disintegrates in 1991USSR disintegrates in 1991

OutcomesOutcomes

End of Cold WarEnd of Cold War• a uni-polar or multi-polar world?a uni-polar or multi-polar world?• Expansion of NATOExpansion of NATO

An An End of History? End of History? (Francis Fukiyama) (Francis Fukiyama) Transitions to democracy not only in Transitions to democracy not only in

Southern Europe but also Eastern EuropeSouthern Europe but also Eastern Europe• More certain in Central than Eastern Europe or More certain in Central than Eastern Europe or

former Soviet Republics –end up as former Soviet Republics –end up as illiberal illiberal democraciesdemocracies

Central Europe returns to European foldCentral Europe returns to European fold