It was during the middle of the 1980s that the Soviet Union first decided that a pattern of renewal was needed for the country. Of course, that was not something that could take place overnight. The country would have to weed out economic problems, along with issues like corruption and alcoholism that were further weakening the country and its economy. The position that the Soviet Union held from a global standpoint was worsening, and action had to be taken if the country was to pull itself back from the brink and find a way to survive and to grow once again. The Soviet Union was giving help to many third-world nations, but it wasn't getting anything in return. In addition, there was no friendship or alliance with the United States, and the Soviet Union decided to start correction some of the issues that was plaguing it in an effort to build the country up again (Brzezinski, 1998).

Then-President Gorbachev determined that a new policy was needed, where average people could speak out about problems that they were facing with life in a communist country. Soviet life was apparently very bad, because Gorbachev was unprepared for the level of anger and criticism he received. A large number of Soviet citizens expressed distaste and upset with industry, government, agriculture, and virtually everything that was related in some way to the way the Soviet Union was operating. Gorbachev had planned on a great renewal of Soviet life, but that plan failed and people ended up nearly starving. Inflation skyrocketed rapidly, and both industrial and agricultural production fell - spiraling nearly out of control so quickly that people did not know what to do. Because Gorbachev did not have much experience, he was at a loss as to how to fix the problems (Brzezinski, 1998).

It is certainly possible that the United States had some effect on the Russian economy's collapse, but the Soviet Union did a lot to harm itself during that time period, as well. Under Brezhnev, there had been too many problems and they had continued for too long. Gorbachev could not have saved the country...

Once the Cold War was over, Russian life improved - but this took a lot of time and effort on the part of the Soviet government and the Soviet people. Transitioning themselves into a more capitalist model was not easy, but in the long run it paid off from the standpoint of a strong country and healthy, happy citizens.
The Soviet Union would most likely not have changed had it not been forced to adjust the way it was operating. While the collapse of its economy - and the economy of many Eastern European countries during the same time period - was difficult, it was the best thing that could have occurred. From the ashes, a capitalist system arose that allowed people to move forward within their own countries. It also made those countries more competitive globally, because they were no longer so restricted by their governments. Capitalist nations prefer to work with other capitalist nations when it comes to global trade, because it makes things easier for everyone involved. Countries that move from communism to capitalism experience many growing pains, and there is a trial-and-error period that can be long and arduous. Once the problems are worked out, however, there is strength to be found in a capitalistic system where companies and workers have the option to own their businesses, produce goods and offer services, and contribute to the growth of the economy.

Works Cited

Brzezinski, Zbigniew. The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and its Geostrategic Imperatives. New York: Basic Books, 1998. Print.

McCauley, Martin. The Origins of the Cold War. New York: Longman, 1990. Print.

Gaddis, Caroline Lewis. We Now Know: Rethinking the Cold War. New York: Clarendon Press, 1997. Print.

Painter, David S. The Cold War: An International History. New York: Routledge, 1999. Print.

Roberts, Geoffrey. The Soviet Union in World Politics: Coexistence, Revolution, and the Cold…