What was it that really brought down the Soviet Union....?

Question

Reagan bankrupted them by forcing an increase in the arms race?

Or was it;

Gorbachev's economic and social reforms that exposed the corruption, poor housing, food shortages, alcoholism, widespread pollution, creeping mortality rates and the second-rate position of women in the centrally controlled society, which caused widespread outrage by the people and severely disrupted the economy, and enabled the Baltic States to break away and form independent countries?

I don't deny Reagan helped, but it was small compared to Glasnost and Perestroika.

Answer 1

By the time Gorbachev was in power the Soviet Union was on the way out; it was the relaxation of censorship of the media which really put the stake through.

Answer 2

I think the communist system went as far as it could in such a large country like the Soviet Union. The people there had little to look forward to in the way of life improving. I don't think it was so much Gorbachev and his economic reforms, or his concept of openness that did it. More in the frustration that the communist were never able to fulfill the promises that were made when the revolution took place. The overthrow of Nicholas was to prevent the heads of the country from keeping the wealth from the peasants, and for themselves. Compounding that problem, was the police state that was implemented, all freedom was crushed by the communist. Historically speaking, everyone has a breaking point.

Answer 3

The economy in the Soviet Union was not a good argument for Soviet republics to stay in the Soviet Union. Instead, some were eager to break with Moscow on the grounds that their republic could organize the economy better. Also, nationalism was alive within the republics. In various republics were Russians who had moved there and considered it home. There was some hostility towards these local Russians, who tended to be opposed to breaking away from Moscow. Gorbachev was on their side. He wished to keep the Soviet Union together. On the other hand, in 1990, elections in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania gave overwhelming victories to political parties favoring independence. And the biggest republic in the Soviet Union, Russia, was also threatening to break away.

The collapse had come after years of attempts by non-Communist governments to "peacefully coexist," to negotiate, sign agreements and to have cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union - opposed by those who demonized the Communists and falsely equated bargaining and befriending the Soviet with appeasing Hitler at Munich. Relaxed tensions between the Soviet Union and the capitalist West had paid off. The Cold War was over. Communism had not died, but it had declined dramatically and not at a height in belligerent actions by the United States and its Western allies. Communism declined dramatically in power in a period of a peak in good relations with the West.

Answer 4

And you don't see the two as related? Gorby didn't "expose" anything. All was well-known from the beginning. Stalin, of course, would have just killed a few tens of millions more to keep control, but had the Soviets diverted another 10% or so of their GDP from defense to housing and food, the collapse might also have been avoided, or at least delayed.

Answer 5

Its a combination of all those things you mentioned. But Reagan certainly helped! You cannot deny that!

Answer 6

No Mall

People just got tired of eating cabbage and wearing canvas shirts.

Go big Red Go

Answer 7

Reagan defeated the Evil Empire

Answer 8

Hmmmmm how can I answer this with out getting voted off this island?

Answer 9

All of the above.
Plus: The Pope & the President of the Shipyard Union in Poland. (Can't spell his name.)
BEAR IN MIND: THAT IT WAS THE POLICIES OF REAGAN THAT FORCED GORBY INTO TRYING TO HAVE REFORMS.

Answer 10

It was a house of cards and it collapsed like one.