The End of Bipolarity
Class 12 Political Science · Contemporary World Politics · Chapter 1
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Summary
This chapter explains how the bipolar world order, dominated by the two superpowers after the Second World War, came to an end. The Soviet Union (USSR), born of the 1917 socialist revolution, built a planned, state-owned economy and led the 'second world' or socialist bloc, held together by the Warsaw Pact. Over time the system became bureaucratic, authoritarian and economically stagnant; it overspent on its military and satellite states while citizens grew aware of Western prosperity. Mikhail Gorbachev introduced reforms (perestroika and glasnost) to modernise the system, but loosening control unleashed forces he could not contain. East European communist regimes collapsed, the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, and a failed 1991 coup hastened the breakup. Boris Yeltsin emerged as Russia's leader, and in December 1991 Russia, Ukraine and Belarus dissolved the USSR, forming the Commonwealth of Independent States. The collapse ended the Cold War, left the US as the sole superpower, spread liberal democracy and capitalism, and created many new countries. Most post-communist states adopted 'shock therapy' guided by the IMF and World Bank, which caused deep economic ruin. India maintained warm ties, especially with Russia, sharing a vision of a multipolar world.
Key terms
Bipolarity
A world order dominated by two rival superpower blocs, the US-led and the Soviet-led camps.
Perestroika and Glasnost
Gorbachev's policies of economic restructuring and political openness in the Soviet Union.
Shock therapy
The abrupt IMF/World Bank-guided shift from a planned economy to capitalism in post-communist states.
Commonwealth of Independent States
The grouping of former Soviet republics formed in December 1991 after the USSR dissolved.
Second World
The bloc of socialist, communist-ruled countries led by the USSR during the Cold War.
Unipolar world
An international order in which a single power, the US, dominates without a serious rival.
Extra questions & answers
Try one from this chapter
The Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War, was finally broken by the people in: