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Changes in Russia after Communism

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How and why did Russia and Eastern Europe change politically, socially, and economically after the collapse of communism?

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Solution Summary

The solution describes the political, social, and economical changes in Russia and Eastern Europe after the collapse of communism. It lists the political, social, and economical events that took place in Russia and Eastern Europe seperately. The references are formatted using APA styling.

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Hello and Welcome to Brainmass! I have split the solution into three parts adressing each of them seperately so that it is easier for you to understand and assemble your final paper. The references are formatted using APA styling which you are welcome to use should you find necessary. Good Luck!!

After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, Eastern Europe and the USSR began to see revolutionary changes. Reformers assumed power throughout this region and put an end to 40 years of communist rule. With the reunification of Germany in 1990, and "after surviving a hard-line coup attempt in 1991, Gorbachev was forced to cede power in Russia to Boris Yeltsin, who oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet Union" (US Dept of State, 2001). This development also officially marked the end of the Cold War.

Political change:
?The post Soviet and Communist era was sudden and Eastern Europe found transition from a Marxist ideology to democracy a confusing and sudden one.
?Even though they found a change to democracy as a natural alternative, they lacked the skills and the experience for a successful change. This included skills such as "the ability to engage in political discourse, the ability to compromise, and political initiative (The Power of Place)" (Nosotro, 2010)
?The distress of transformation affected Russia the most among all those involved. It went from a superpower, the head of the communist world, to a nation under pressure to make the transition to democracy and capitalism.
?"In 1993, Russian voters approved a new constitution drafted by President Yeltsin. The constitution grants strong powers to the president, including the power to issue decrees that have the force of law. By contrast, the Russian parliament is relatively weak. In the area of national defense, Russia opposes NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe, but has a cooperative arrangement with the alliance" (CRF, 2002)
?Russian political parties are aggressive, but are important only in parliamentary elections. Elections have been generally free and fair with up to 70 percent voter participation (CRF, 2002)
?Voters in Poland only just accepted a new democratic constitution in 1997 after a harsh debate over restricting the powers of the president. The constitution brought about a ...

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