А NEED FOR CHANGE

Why changes?
What do you think was wrong with USSR?
What needed to be changed?
Politics – old members of Politburo should give a way to fresh blood
Economics – growing wealth proved disadvantages of command economy
Corruption and global alcoholism – death of nation
Global image – find peace with US and end war in Afganistan

Brezhnev’s death
10th november 1982
12th november – new leader of state – Yuri Andropov

Yuri Andropov (1914 – 1984)
General Secretary of CPSU - 12 /11/1982 – 9/02/1984
Chairman of KGB (1967-1982)
Soviet ambassador in Hungary (1954 – 1957)

Hungarian revolution of 1956
Was attempt to overthrown communist regime
Led to violent uprisal
Interrupted by Soviet invasion on advice of Andropov

Andropov’s reform
POLITICS purge in party’s leadership
ECONOMICS work discipline
OPENNESS assault on dissidents grow stronger
FOREIGN AFFAIRS continues war in afganistan

Konstantin Chernenko (1911-1985)
Secretary of State (13/02/1984 – 10/03/1985)
Chief of Staff (1960-1984)
Secretary of Propaganda
(1968-1984)

Chernenko’s stay in power
Corruption cases were closed
More attention to consumer goods and agriculture
Continuing Cold War and boycotted Olympic in 1984

Mikhail Gorbachev
General Secretary (11/03/1985 – 24/08/91)
Member of Politburo (1980-1985)
Chairman of standing committee on youth affair (1974-1980)