4 Key Moments in the History and Impact of Communism

The Soviet Union After Stalin

Post-Stalin, Soviet leaders were less brutal, but state surveillance, censorship, and repression persisted. By the 1980s, the Soviet economy was failing, and citizens faced a lower standard of living compared to the Western Bloc. Widespread corruption and the oppressive police state fueled public discontent. Mikhail Gorbachev, who became leader in 1985, introduced reforms to revive the economy and grant new freedoms. In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan famously urged Gorbachev to “tear down this wall” in Berlin. The Berlin Wall fell two years later, leading to the independence of Eastern European countries and the eventual reunification of Germany. By 1990, communist leaders were ousted, and free elections were held, marking the end of communism in Eastern Europe.

How Did Communism Change the World?

The revolution that began in 1917 spurred a global movement, influencing countries from China and Korea to Kenya, Sudan, and Cuba. These nations faced similar issues as the Soviet Union. In China, Mao Zedong’s “Great Leap Forward” aimed to industrialize the economy but resulted in a devastating famine.