2 ms·
> It was forcibly dissolved from within as regions began literally just declaring their independence and refusing to recognize central authority It's disputed.
by throwaway290 1y ago
> It was forcibly dissolved from within as regions began literally just declaring their independence and refusing to recognize central authority
It's disputed. Some say it was top down, like USSR could roll tanks as usual when republics protested but it didn't. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union#Historiographic_explanations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Unio... and talk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union#Papers_are_being_deleted_for_no_reason._(Brian_D_Taylor,_Mark_Kramer,_John_B_Dunlop,_Adrian_Karatnycky,_Peter_J._Potichnyj,_Taras_Kuzio,_Laura_Blaj) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Dissolution_of_the_Soviet...
- somenameforme 1y agoI don't think there needs to be a dichotomy between the two. Leaders of a system tend to come from that system, and are not immune to such discontent, and are themselves even often victims of said systems - which shapes them in the future. Gorbachev lived through Stalinism and his early political positions would include strong advocacy for de-Stalinization. And similarly, if you've never read about Xi Jinping's early life [1] it's extremely enlightening with regards to the nature of his character. To put this another way, would the USSR have lasted longer if not for Gorbachev? Almost certainly. Would the USSR exist today if not for Gorbachev? That, I very strongly doubt, certainly not in anything like its historic character. It's similar to e.g. slavery in America. Did Lincoln end slavery? Absolutely. Would slavery have ended without Lincoln? Absolutely, and perhaps in an even more desirable fashion. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi_Jinping#Early_life_and_education https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi_Jinping#Early_life_and_educ...