Putin Russia War

What kinds of inequality were most salient under socialism?

Inequality in access to power, privileges, and resources, often distributed based on party loyalty and state allegiance.

Was there social mobility in the Soviet Union? Through what mechanisms?

Yes, social mobility was possible through education and state systems, but also reliant on loyalty to the Communist Party.

What was the role of education in social mobility under Soviet socialism, compared to after the Soviet collapse?

Education was crucial under socialism for upward mobility. After the Soviet collapse, capitalism shifted focus to market-based qualifications and personal connections.

Did Soviet citizens have the means to reflect critically on the Soviet 'system'? If not, why not?

Limited means; state control and repression stifled critical reflection, though some engaged through informal settings or Western broadcasts.

Were 'normal people' under late socialism passive, or did they self-organize in some capacity?

They were not entirely passive; self-organization occurred informally in underground networks or for mutual support.

Did most ordinary people’s values conflict with official Communist ideology?

Yes, ordinary people’s personal values often conflicted with official Communist ideology, especially regarding participation in state rituals.

: Why did the dissidents seem, to ordinary people, like they were 'part of the Soviet system'?

Dissidents were often intellectuals or former Communists, so they still engaged with Soviet discourse, making them seem "inside the system."

What did Yurchak mean when he described most people's lives during late socialism as 'living vnye'?

Living vnye” means living outside official norms, maintaining personal values that conflicted with state demands.

What are some theories (that we've discussed) about what most directly led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union?

Theories include demands for democracy, national independence movements, top-down Communist Party decisions, and the military coup of 1991.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union, following the reforms instituted as part of perestroika, was a result of:

Demands for democracy from below, national independence movements, policy decisions from the top, and a military coup.

What were the master 'frames' of perestroika, through which Gorbachev mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to massive street protest and to active participation in elections and society?

The frames of glasnost' (openness) and democratization, encouraging greater transparency and public participation.

: What was the policy of glasnost', and what changes did it lead to in practice in late-socialist society?

Media freedom, exposure of past government failures, and political pluralism.

What characterized the Soviet "economy of favors" (blat)?

The informal exchange system where resources were accessed through personal connections rather than official channels.

T/F: The first massive protests in Russia began happening after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as people experienced the newfound political freedoms.

False, protests started before the collapse (1989-91).

T/F: Yeltsin's populist platform was centered on economic pragmatism and a repudiation of the ideals of the October (socialist) Revolution of 1917.

False, Yeltsin's reforms were not truly populist.

T/F: The monopoly of the Communist Party was abolished, and contested and free elections introduced right after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

False, The Communist Party lost its monopoly BEFORE the collapse of the Soviet Union.

What were the main objectives of the reformers in charge of economic policy in the years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union?

Reformers aimed to privatize state-owned assets, create a market economy, and integrate Russia into global capitalism.

The immediate consequences of Russia's "leap" to a market economy were:

Economic involution, with a significant economic decline, increased poverty, and instability.

How did people understand capitalism, when they expressed support for Yeltsin and his platform of radical reform in 1990 - 1991?

People saw capitalism as a means of personal survival and economic freedom, despite the hardships during the transition.

T/F: Yeltsin's inner circle attempted to halt the mass expropriation of state and public property, but failed.

False, Yeltsin encouraged privatization, not halted expropriation.

How did most people experience and navigate the economic reforms of the early 1990s?

Most relied on personal and family connections to survive the economic reforms and navigate the market economy.

T/F: the existence of prior assets, inherited from the Soviet period, did not impact economic survival strategies in the new 'free market' economy of the early 1990s.

False. Prior state-subsidized assets and personal connections played a crucial role in survival.

T/F: The importance of personal and family ties to the redistribution of goods and services, that was so important to making Soviet socialist-style economies function, waned with the introduction of markets to the Soviet Union.

False. Personal and family ties remained crucial for navigating the market economy in post-Soviet Russia.

T/F: Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union can be characterized as a 'strong' state.

False. Russia after the Soviet collapse was a weak state and struggled with governance.

When looked at 'from below,' the Russian state, following Soviet collapse and until the late 1990s was: (1) non-existent; (2) oppressive; (3) was 'in formation';

In formation. Russia was weak and struggling to establish control after the Soviet collapse.