Raiklin, E.I. Was the fall of “socialism” in the USSR inevitable? The causes of the evolution of the “real socialism”

Abstract: In order to understand the causes for the fall of the Soviet “real socialism” one needs to analyze the “barrel hoops” holding this system and the causes for their erosion. For a certain period of time the following four social and psychological factors were holding together the Soviet “real socialism”, or a totalitarian state capitalism. The first factor was pragmatic interests in sustaining the regime. Bureaucracy as a class was interested in support of the system of bureaucratic privileges, allowing it to control and formally rule property of the society. The non-bureaucratic part of the population was also interests in preservation of the status-quo of the social and economic system, since it (the nonbureaucratic part of the population) valued stability and predictability of the situation as positive features of “socialism”. The latter refers mostly to the post-Stalin period of time (after 1953). The second factor was ignorance of most of the population including the higher ranks of bureaucracy on what was going on in the state and in the world. This ignorance was supported by the government itself, since being confused, it thought of one matter, talked of another matter, and did something altogether different, when it was necessary for support of their interests. The third factor was a fanatical belief in coming of Communism as a kingdom of God on Earth. Raised by ignorance and supported by party bureaucracy this new religion spread an optimistic view of the future, and that is why the present situation was regarded as acceptable by a considerable part of the Soviet population. The fourth factor was the fear to act against the “socialist” system, this fear being inhomogeneous. It included fear of those, who were not sure of the “socialist” character of the system, but could not stand the pressure of fanatical believers, and nervousness of those who did not believe the kingdom of God on Earth, but was paralyzed with fear of the almighty KGB.

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