Who was more responsible for the dissolution of the USSR: Reagan or Gorbachev?

Question

Who should be given the credit for ending the USSR?

Answer 1

Definitely Gorbachev. If you look at the history of the USSR, all signs lead to it's demise before Reagan took office in 1980. It was doomed to failure after Breshnev. Their economy couldn't sustain it and Gorbachev knew it and did something about it. Anyone who knows an ounce of Russian history knows this and knows that Reagan and his arms build up had nothing to do with it.

Answer 2

The whole country of Soviet Union was falling down in debts and disarray between the different ethnitcities encapsualted in Soviet Russia. Gorbachev was disliked by his own people and he wanted to change many of the communist ideas into capitalism. Reagan was more of a symbol. He wanted to help. In the end, communism was the dissolution of the USSR and Gorbachev was a lame duck.

Answer 3

Give credit where credit is due - JFK
He escalated the arms race that caused the financial collapse of the USSR. After a brief hiatus in the late 70's during the SALT talks, all Reagan did was re-energize the arms race, including training of Afghan fighters (including bin Laden et al.) after the Soviet invasion.

In the long run, however, the collapse of the USSR was the end result of decades of poor planning by it's leadership, including Gorbachev, and the inherent weakness of communism as an economic model.

Answer 4

The USSR's state controlled, economic system simply collapsed.

The Space Race, the Star Wars' program, the Nuclear Armament Race and lots of dissatisfied and hungry people contributed to their demise. Reagan absolutely united this country and our united resolve made it even more apparent to the Soviets that the U.S. was not winding down any of its programs.

Note: I find it ironic that most of the smaller countries that have broken off from the USSR are now democratic while Russia seems to be sliding back into communism.
Go figure.

Answer 5

Neither. The inherent weaknesses in the system, corruption, the arms race, and getting bogged down in Afghanistan all added up to the breakdown. Reagan had some influence because he kept up the pressure on the USSR, but he is given way to much credit by many people for "ending the Cold War" and Gorbachev was just there to supervise the inevitable.

Answer 6

In my humble opinion, Gorby decided to dissolve the USSR to get donations from the USA. Harvard wasted no time in donating millions of dollars and foreign aid has flooded the USSR ever since. A few soldiers did not hear of the ruse and got killed fighting the "rebels", I think three died. But bloodless except for that. Makes me suspicious but it worked for Gorby. We help Russia develope its vast minerals and they stab us in the back at the United Nations like everybody else except Israel.

Answer 7

It was pre Wallmart consumer shopping. When thousands of business across America was making consumer goods the Economy was strong and America was buying American made items.

We simply out shopped Russia. Our Macy's and Sachs dwarfed Russia's Gumps Department Store

Go big Red Go

Answer 8

Neither. The russian economy could no longer support Russia's arm race as the scientist and military were no longer being paid regulary and the people were starving, and the Chek Republic rebels were fighting for independence.

No matter who had been in charge at the time Russia was on the verge of collapse.

Answer 9

Reagan. It all fell apart after he would not back down on the so called "star wars" program.

Answer 10

Reagan AND Gorbachev and don't forget that Pope John Paul II was meddling in it to end it, too.