USSR
Definition
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a one-party state governed by the Communist Party with Moscow as its capital.
Analogy
Think of the USSR like a strict school principal who insists on everyone following the same rules, no exceptions. This is similar to how the USSR operated under communism, where private ownership was limited and government controlled most aspects of life.
Related terms
Communism: A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.
Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union with its satellite states (the Eastern Bloc), and the United States with its allies (the Western Bloc) after World War II.
Iron Curtain: A term popularized by Winston Churchill representing Europe's division into mostly democratic Western Europe and Communist Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
"USSR" appears in:
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Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (15)
Who was responsible for implementing perestroika and glasnost reforms in USSR?
How did Stalin’s “Socialism in One Country” concept shape USSR’s geopolitical strategy post-Lenin era?
Who led the USSR under a totalitarian regime from mid-1920s until his death?
What possible effects could have arisen if USSR never broke their non-aggression pact with Germany?
What viewpoint is conveyed by USSR's establishment of Warsaw Pact as a response to NATO formation?
Who led USSR during Cuban Missile Crisis ?
What significant era began after World War II with tensions between the U.S.A and USSR increasing?
Which event marked the end of détente between USA and USSR during the late stages of Cold War?
What event signaled the official end of the USSR in 1991?
Who initiated the policy of de-Stalinization in USSR?
Who was the last leader of USSR during its dissolution?
What key policy introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev sought to bring political openness in USSR?
To what extent did Nikita Khrushchev's secret speech (1956) affect public opinion of the USSR in Western Europe?
What is one effect on Eastern Europe as a result of Gorbachev’s policies within USSR during late twentieth century?
Which factor best describes why the USSR chose to invade Hungary in 1956?
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