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Factors That Led to the Collapse of Communism

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Submitted By Purnea
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Factors That Culminated In the Eventual Collapse of Communism and the Demise of the Soviet Union Purnea Gillani

Author Note This report was prepared for International Relations Practice, BS (Hons) Major in Political Science and Minor in Management, taught by Professor Sajaad Naseer

ABSTRACT The collapse of the soviet empire is often heralded in the West as a triumph of capitalism and democracy, as though this event was a direct result of the policies of the Reagan and Thatcher governments. This analysis has little relation to measurable facts, circumstances and internal political dynamics that were the real historical causes of the deterioration of the Soviet empire. The key to understanding the reasons for the demise of the Soviet Union and communism in Eastern Europe is to be found not in the speeches or policies of Western politicians, but in internal Soviet history. Through our report we have attempted to discern the various complex factors that came together and led to the unraveling of the Soviet Union and the end of communism in Europe. This report contains an analysis of how social, political and economic factors culminated in the sudden and unprecedented collapse of the Soviet Union at the perceived height of its power.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT We would like to thank …

Contents ABSTRACT 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 3 INTRODUCTION 5 LITERATURE REVIEW 8 ROLE OF PUBLIC OPINION IN COMMUNISMS COLLAPSE 11 ROLE OF SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN COMMUNISMS COLLAPSE 14 ROLE OF ECONOMIC FACTORS IN COMMUNISMS COLLAPSE 16 ROLE OF U.S FOREIGN POLICY IN COMMUNISMS COLLAPSE 19 CONCLUSION 22 REFERNCES 24

INTRODUCTION The Soviet Union in 1985 possessed much of the same natural and human resources that it had 10 years before. Certainly, the

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