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USSR

Definition

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also known as Soviet Union, was a federal socialist state in northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was comprised of multiple nationalities living under economies planned by state officials.

Analogy

Imagine if your school was run like USSR - every class you take, every activity you do would be decided by school administrators without any input from students or teachers.

Related terms

Communism: A political theory advocating for class war leading to a society where all property is publicly owned and each person works according to their abilities and needs.

Cold War: A period between 1947-1991 characterized by political tension and military rivalry between two superpowers, namely USSR and USA, without full-scale warfare.

Glasnost & Perestroika: Policies introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev during late 1980s in USSR. Glasnost (openness) aimed at transparency in government institutions and activities while Perestroika (restructuring) was an attempt to reform the economic system of USSR.