The Fall Effects Essay PDF

# The Fall 1. For almost 50 years, the Cold War was one of the most talked about issues in international politics. Tensions between Western countries and the Soviet Union were high, and the world felt the potential danger of a disastrous conflict. When the Iron Curtain fell, many countries rejoiced...

# The Fall 1. For almost 50 years, the Cold War was one of the most talked about issues in international politics. Tensions between Western countries and the Soviet Union were high, and the world felt the potential danger of a disastrous conflict. When the Iron Curtain fell, many countries rejoiced. Independent-minded Soviet Republics got the independence they had wanted, and the communist ideology that had been so prevalent began to lose ground. About two decades after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the effects are still being felt. 2. One of the most obvious changes in the post-communist world has been the shift to a market economy. Governments that once had subsidized the costs of basic necessities, such as food, transportation, housing, and electricity, are now letting competition and external factors determine the prices of these items. Inflation is high, and many citizens are having a difficult time adjusting to the fluctuations in prices based on supply and demand. However, imported goods are now commonplace in local markets, so consumers have more choices in what they buy. The switch to a market economy is often a painful process, but the citizens of the former Soviet Union are still confident that they will one day benefit financially from the economic changes. 3. Another anticipated effect of the fall of the Iron Curtain is sovereignty. The Soviet Union existed as one entity for many years, but now one can count a number of emerging republics, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. These republics are currently in the process of shaping their own independent identities. They can focus on rebuilding their own cultures, languages, and priorities. This empowerment increases national pride and uniqueness. The idea of all Soviets being one and the same is now gone. Clearly, national identity is at the forefront of many people's minds. 4. While many former Soviets now feel a sense of national identity, the fall of the Soviet Union has taken away the identity of many others. Many ethnic groups have lived in this part of the world for generations. They were raised as Soviets, spoke Russian as a native language, and were taught to believe that they were citizens of the great superpower. Koreans, Tartars, Uighurs, and other ethnic groups can be found in most of the former Soviet Republics. Now that independence has spread from Eastern Europe to Central Asia, many of these citizens are considered minority groups. They do not want to be repatriated to distant lands such as North Korea or China. While they may look Korean or Chinese, they do not speak the languages and have not had ties with these parts of the world for many years. As the newly formed republics try to reinvigorate their traditions and values, many of the ethnic minorities tend to feel left out with no place to really call home. 5. The fall of the Soviet Union is perhaps one of the most momentous events of the twentieth century. Walls fell, markets opened, and people rejoiced in the streets, anticipating a life full of opportunities and freedom to make their own choices. A system that took so long to build will probably need as much time, if not more, to truly adapt to the free enterprise system that is now the world model. # Questions 1. What is the writer's main message in this essay? 2. Reread the thesis statement of "The Fall." Is the thesis stated or implied? 3. In Paragraph 2, the writer explains that one effect of the Soviet breakup is the new market economy. What examples does the writer give to show that countries are now in a market economy? 4. In Paragraph 4, the author writes about ethnic minorities and their problems. Which minorities are specifically mentioned and what problems are they having? 5. In Paragraph 2, find a word that has approximately the same meaning as the word shift and write it here. 6. Find the boldfaced vocabulary word in the final paragraph of this essay. Write a synonym of that word here.