Question

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 1

a. The Soviet political system was based on Socialist ideology.

Explanation

The Soviet economy model was based on the principles of socialism which emerged as a reaction to capitalism and identified the existence of private property as the basis for all evils in the society. It was argued that the state must own the property and must work for the welfare of the entire society. The Socialist ideology was driven by the motive of bringing about social welfare through social ownership.

b. Warsaw Pact was the military alliance started by the USSR.

Explanation

During the Cold War, both the US and the USSR blocs, in order to expand their area of influence and to establish their ideological dominance, formed military alliances with smaller nations. The Warsaw Pact was the military alliance created by the Soviet bloc with East European countries under its fold.

c. Communist party dominated the Soviet Union’s political system.

Explanation

The Soviet Union’s political system was characterised by a one-party system and was under the control of a single party that is the Communist party, which neither tolerated any dissent or opposition, nor was responsible and accountable to people.

d. Mikhail Gorbachev initiated the reforms in the USSR in 1985.

Explanation

Mikhail Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985. He introduced a series of political and economic reforms in an attempt to transform the Soviet system. The purpose of these reforms was to keep in pace with the technological and infrastructural development of the West.

e. The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolised the end of the Cold War.

Explanation

The Berlin Wall signified a physical division between the US and the USSR blocs during the Cold War period. It was built in 1961 to divide East Germany from the West. The wall rather signified the division of Germany, with the West representing the democratic model and the East supporting the communist ideology. The disintegration of the Soviet Union is marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall and unification of Germany.