1.Which among the following statements that describe the nature
of Soviet economy is wrong?
a. Socialism was the dominant ideology
b. State ownership/control existed over the factors of production
c. People enjoyed economic freedom
d. Every aspect of the economy was planned and controlled by
the State
Answer:(c)People enjoyed economic freedom.
2.Arrange the following in chronological order:
a. Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
b. Fall of the Berlin Wall
c. Disintegration of the Soviet Union
d. Russian Revolution
Answer: I.(d)Russian Revolution(1917)
II.(a)Soviet invasion of Afghanistan(1979)
III.(b)Fall of the Berlin Wall(Nov1989)
3.Which among the following is NOT an outcome of the disintegration
of the USSR?
a. End of the ideological war between the US and USSR
b. Birth of CIS
c. Change in the balance of power in the world order
d. Crises in the Middle East
Answer: (d)Crises in the Middle East
4.Match the following:
i. Mikhail Gorbachev a. Successor of USSR
ii. Shock Therapy b. Military pact
iii. Russia c. Introduced reforms
iv. Boris Yeltsin d. Economic model
v. Warsaw e. President of Russia
Answer: (i)-(c);(ii)-(d);(iii)-(a);(iv)-(e);(v)-(b)
5.Fill in the blanks.
a. The Soviet political system was based on _______
ideology.
b. _____ was the military alliance started by the USSR.
c. ________ party dominated the Soviet Union’s
political system.
d. __________ initiated the reforms in the USSR in 1985.
e. The fall of the ________ symbolised the end of the
Cold War.
Answer: (a)socialist (b) Warsaw Pact (c) Communist (d) Gorbachev (e )Berlin wall
6.Mention any three features that distinguish the Soviet economy
from that of a capitalist country like the US.
Answer: The three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US, can be summed up as follows:
- Soviet economy experienced a complex communication network, vast energy resources and
an efficient transport sector to connect its remotest areas. - Soviet Union industries produced every domestic product from pin to cars, whose quality
might not match with that of the west technology. - Soviet Union ensured a minimum standard of living for all its citizens. Consequently
Government subsidised basic necessities including health, education, children and other
welfare schemes. - There was an absence of unemployment in Soviet Union.
- Land and productive assets were owned by the state only.
7.What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms
in the USSR?
Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev was the General Secretary of Communist
Party of Soviet Union in 1985. He was forced to initiate the reforms in the
USSR due to following reasons:
- To keep the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions at par the West.
- To normalise the relations with that of the West.
- To democratise the Soviet System.
- To loosen the administrative system which exempted ordinary people from the privileges.
8. What were the major consequences of the disintegration of the
Soviet Union for countries like India?
Answer: The major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like
India can be analysed as follows:
- Disintegration of Soviet Union gave an end to Cold War confrontations and to ideological
disputes between two superpowers. - Military alliances had been abolished and demand arose for world peace and security.
- Multipolar system was surpassed to exist where no single power could dominate and a
group of countries could play a crucial role in world politics like NAM Countries. - The US became the sole superpower and capitalist economy became dominant at
international level. World Bank and IMF became powerful advisors due to their economic
support to these countries during transitional period. - The motion of liberal democracy emerged as a way to organise political life.
- Due to disintegration of Soviet Union many new countries emerged with the independent
aspirations and choices. - The Baltic and East European states wanted to join European Union and became the part of
NATO. The Central Asian countries took the advantage of their geographical location and
continued close ties with Russia, West, China and others.
9.What was Shock Therapy? Was this the best way to make a transition
from communism to capitalism?
Answer: Shock Therapy was a painful process of transition from an authoritarian
socialist system to a democratic capitalist system. This transformation system was
influenced by the world bank and the IMF in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe.
Though it varies in intensity and speed amongst the former second world countries
but its direction and features were quite similar.
This was not the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism due to
following drawbacks:
- Russia, the large state controlled industrial complex lost about 90 per cent of its industries
through sales to private individuals and companies - It created “the largest garage sale in history” which led virtual disappearance of entire
industries for the restructuring was carried out by market forces in place of government owned
policies. Hence, industries were undervalued and sold at throwaway prices. - It systematically destroyed old system of social welfare.
- The value of ‘ruble’, the Russian currency, declined dramatically due to high rate of inflation
and real GDP of Russia also declined between 1989 to 1999. - The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large sections of society into poverty and
it emerged mafia to start controlling many economic activities. - Privatisation led to new disparities which divided Russia between rich and poor people
creating economic inequality. - Hence, Shock Therapy brought ruin to economies and disaster upon the people of entire
region.
10.Write an essay for or against the following proposition: “With the
disintegration of the second world, India should change its foreign
policy and focus more on friendship with the US rather than with
traditional friends like Russia”.
Answer: India should not change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with US, but
India is required to maintain healthy relations with Russia because India has experienced a
long band of mutual trust, interests and popular perceptions with Russia in the following
manner:
- Russia and India share a vision of multipolar world order i.e. co¬existence of several world
powers internationally, collective security, greater regionalism, democratisation with the
decision-making through bodies like the UN. - More than 80 bilateral agreements have been experienced between India and Russia as a
part of the Indo- Russia Strategic Agreement of 2001. - India has been benefitted from its relationship on the issues like Kashmir, energy supplies,
sharing information on international terrorism, access to Central Asia and balancing its relation
with China. - Russia is also important for India’s nuclear energy plane and assisting India’s space industry
by giving cryogenic rocket to India whenever needed. - Co-operation with Russia and its republics like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan in the form of
partnership and investment in oil fields has also benefitted India. - Russia is also benefitted from India on ground of the second largest arms market for Russia.
Indian military gets most of its hardware from Russia. - Russia and India have collaborated on various scientific projects also.
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