Political Science: USSR & Marxism-Leninism

• Political science examines politics and power across domestic, international, and comparative contexts.
• Political science involves understanding political ideas, ideologies, institutions, policies, processes, and behavior, as well as groups, classes, government, diplomacy, law, strategy, and war.
• Political science uses both humanistic and scientific perspectives and tools to examine and understand a wide range of topics.

Soviet Union (USSR)

• The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a socialist state in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.
• Nominally a union of national Soviet republics, its government and economy were highly centralized.
• The USSR was a one-party state governed by the Communist Party, with its capital in Moscow, the Russian SFSR's largest republic.

Political Ideology

• The USSR's political ideology was Marxism-Leninism, a development of Marxism interpreted and implemented by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).
• Marxism-Leninism advocated for a proletarian dictatorship, state ownership of production, and a communist society.
• The CPSU controlled all aspects of political, economic, social, and cultural life in the USSR.
• Dissenting ideologies and political opposition were suppressed by the KGB.

Political Structure

• The USSR operated under a hierarchical political structure.
• The Communist Party was the sole political party.
• The Party General Secretary was the de facto leader.
• The Politburo, consisting of top party leaders, was the main policy-making body.
• The Supreme Soviet was the highest legislative body, but it largely approved decisions made by the Party leadership.
• The Council of Ministers served as the executive branch of the government.
• Elections featured only one candidate per position, chosen by the Communist Party.

State and Society

• The Soviet state controlled the economy, education, healthcare, and cultural institutions.
• Private property was largely abolished, with the state owning and managing most industries, land, and resources.
• The state provided extensive social welfare programs, including free education, healthcare, and housing.
• Cultural expression was subject to state censorship and control, aiming to promote socialist values while suppressing dissenting views.
• The state promoted atheism and discouraged religious practice.

Political Culture

• Political culture emphasized collectivism, loyalty to the Communist Party, and glorification of the state and its leaders.
• Propaganda shaped public opinion and promoted the regime's ideology.
• Individual freedoms and rights were subordinated to the interests of the state and the collective.
• Political participation was largely limited to activities organized and controlled by the Communist Party.
• Dissent and criticism of the regime were repressed.

International Relations

• The USSR played a major role internationally throughout the 20th century, particularly during the Cold War.
• The USSR was a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council.
• It promoted communism and supported communist movements and governments around the world.
• The USSR was a major military power and engaged in an arms race with the United States and its allies.
• It led the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of socialist states in Eastern Europe, as a counterbalance to NATO.
• Foreign policy aimed to expand influence and counter the power of the United States and its allies.

Dissolution

• Political and economic problems in the 1980s led to reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev, including perestroika and glasnost.
• These reforms weakened the central government and increased calls for autonomy and independence.
• A 1991 coup attempt by hardline Communist Party members failed, further eroding central authority.
• In December 1991, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus declared the dissolution of the USSR and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
• The remaining Soviet republics followed suit, and the USSR officially ceased to exist on December 26, 1991.