Gorbachev's Fall from Power

What was Gorbachev's fall from power?

During 1990 and 1991 Gorbachev faced massive domestic problems which led to his resignation as leader of the USSR.

When did Gorbachev fall from power?

Gorbachev struggled throughout 1991, eventually resigning on 25th December that year.

Why did Gorbachev fall from power?

There were 5 main reasons Gorbachev fell from power:

• ❖ His reforms of 'perestroika' and 'glasnost' had not solved the USSR's economic and political problems.
• ❖ The Soviet economy was in a terrible state, with food rationing and long queues in the shops for goods.
• ❖ Glasnost allowed people to criticise the government and people started to criticise Gorbachev's policies.
• ❖ Many Communist Party leaders and ordinary people were angry when the USSR lost control of eastern Europe. They blamed Gorbachev for weakening the Soviet Union.
• ❖ Political opposition to Gorbachev grew when Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania declared their independence from the USSR in 1990.

How did Gorbachev fall from power?

There were 5 key events during Gorbachev's fall from power:

• ❖ On 19th August 1990, 8 senior members of the Communist Party and government organised a coup against Gorbachev and placed him under house arrest.
• ❖ The new government declared a state of emergency and ended Gorbachev's policies of 'glasnost' and 'perestroika'.
• ❖ People reacted by demonstrating against the new government, led by Boris Yeltsin, a senior ex-member of the Communist Party, who used the coup to undermine Gorbachev.
• ❖ On 21st August, Gorbachev returned to Moscow. He tried to bring in a new constitution and New Union Treaty to keep the USSR alive.
• ❖ Boris Yeltsin persuaded 12 of the 15 leaders of the other Soviet republics to create the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), using Gorbachev's weakened position against him.

What were the results of Gorbachev's fall from power?

There were 2 main results:

• ❖ When 12 of the 15 Soviet republics signed the Commonwealth of Independent States agreement it meant the USSR no longer existed as a country.
• ❖ Gorbachev resigned as leader of the USSR on 25th December, 1991.