What impact did the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have?
1 Answer
Hardly any. Just kidding. Almost everything we see today is a consequence of that event
Explanation:
Imagine the world, happily split in two. One half, democratic with a strong army, at war with the other half. It's a cold war, everybody is in it. The key is to beat USSR by showing free market economy brings more comfort, jobs, money, smiles, to its citizen. The game takes place over the entire world. The UN, the IMF, the World Bank discover how much they love "developing countries". Contracts are signed to start projects. Projects bring money and spies, Money ensures stability. Communism too. No protest under Stalin, all the countries "helped" by the East are peaceful and quiet.
Then the earthquake: 1985. Comecon admits it can not feed its members. Gorbachev is walking on thin ice, When Germany, forgetting it started all this, has a Kodak moment and decides to go and hug its Eastern half, there is no ice anymore. Gorbachev can no longer control the fall of the state. Nuclear weapons are "lost" and found later in the hands of terrorist states, antisemitism rises, almost every former USSR satellite is at war. East Germans discover their jobs are taken by Turks. Oil is given for free by Eltsin after enough vodka, Putin restores order. With no USSR to do police work in the world, the US has to step in. Pirate activities surge. Ukraine president survives poisoning in Switzerland. In a nutshell, with my colorful words, this is my answer. For more, I recommend a book by Robert Kagan: Of Paradise and Power.
