R1320thand21st

The de Stalinization of Eastern Europe and Russia answers the theme of evolution of political elites and the development of political parties, ideologies, and other forms of mass politics as after Stalin dies in Russia, his major ideals of an authoritative communist rule of Europe is shaken by major reforms by his successor, Nikita Khrushchev, and the man that finally puts an end to communism, Mikhail Gorbachev. After his inauguration, Khrushchev attacked Stalin’s ideals and marked his crimes in a closed session of the twentieth party congress in 1956; his “secret speech” read at communist meetings throughout the country, encouraging major reforms in the communism of Russia. Khrushchev shifted resources from heavy industry into agriculture and consumer goods, eased up controls over workers, and allowed individualism and freedom-of-speech. Khrushchev also believed in a safe, peaceful existence between communism and capitalism, something Stalin and conservative communists did not. Life began to ease up after the reforms, but writers and editors, now allowed to do as they like, encouraged the revolution and total overthrow of communism in the eastern states of Europe, which were under the control of Russia. Seeing Khrushchev as a threat to the communism of Russia, Leonid Brezhnev takes over control of Russia in a bloodless palace revolution, reinstituting Stalin’s former plans and starting a “re Stalinization” of Russia and the Eastern European states. It wasn’t until the coming of office of Mikhail Gorbachev when communism in Russia was finally overthrown and an independent Russia took its place in the world. Through Gorbachev’s reforms of “Perestroika” (restructuring), an easing up on government control on economy, and “Glasnost” (openness), in which total freedom of speech was allowed throughout the eastern states. But it wasn’t until the overthrow of Gorbachev by Boris Yeltsin, in which he declares Russia’s independence, does Russia at last become free from communism. (1002, 1004, 1032 – 1033, 1038 – 1039)

McKay, John P. __A History of Western Society__. 7th ed. New York City: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.