tions: Answer the prompt below in a short paragraph response. Be sure to use evidence from the sources, homework, and/or class discussion to support your response. Use the rubric to check your work. Prompt: Why did the Soviet Union collapse?
The collapse of the Soviet Union can be attributed to several factors. One of the main reasons was the economic downfall it experienced in the 1980s. The Soviet economy was heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, and when oil prices dropped in the global market, it caused a severe decline in their revenue. Additionally, the Soviet Union had a centralized and poorly managed economy, characterized by inefficiency, corruption, and lack of innovation. This led to widespread shortages of basic goods and a decline in the living standards of ordinary citizens. Politically, the Soviet regime was also facing increasing pressure for democratic reforms and decentralization of power. The policies of restructuring and glasnost introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev aimed at addressing these issues, but they inadvertently sparked growing discontent among various nationalities which eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
