Answer: Emergence of bipolar world: 1. Two superpowers expanded their own spheres of influence in different parts of the world. It divided the world into two alliances namely Western and Eastern alliance headed by the US and Soviet Union respectively.

The conflicting ideologies of the superpowers provided the grounds for pursuing this battle for a balance of power in Europe. Both the USA and the USSR recognised that if either side gained more territory than the other then this would upset the balance of power, this is what, therefore, caused the Cold War.

(i) It stayed away from the two alliances. (ii) It raised its voice against the newly decolonised countries from becoming part of these alliances. (iii) India favoured active intervention in world affairs to soften Cold War rivalries.

The world has definitely and irrevocably split into two camps: the camp of imperialism and the camp of socialism.

(iv) India followed a policy of balancing one superpower against the other. If India felt ignored or unduly pressurised by one superpower, it tilted towards the other. Neither USA nor Russia could take India for granted nor bully it. (v) In August, 1971 India signed the Treaty of Friendship with the USSR for 20 years.

During the Cold War, India adopted a foreign policy of not aligning itself with any major power bloc. However, India developed close ties with the Soviet Union and received extensive military support from it. The end of the Cold War significantly affected India’s foreign policy, as it did for much of the world.

The model of transition in Russia, central Asia and East Europe came to be known as shock therapy. However, shock therapy wasn’t the best way to transition from communism to capitalism because: It was a sudden and immediate change that uprooted the entire existing system and wrecked havoc over the economy of the state.

The major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India are as follows:

• It led to end of Cold War confrontations and to ideological disputes between two superpowers.
• Demand for peace and security were initiated abolishing military alliances.

The factors responsible for Disintegration of U.S.S.R: (i) Internal weaknesses of Soviet political and economic institutions. (ii) Economic stagnation for many years led to severe consumer shortages. (iii) Soviet Union became stagnant in an administrative and political sense as well.

Gorbachev’s decision to allow elections with a multi-party system and create a presidency for the Soviet Union began a slow process of democratization that eventually destabilized Communist control and contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

i) Internal weakness of Soviet political and economical institutions. ii) Soviet Union used much of its resources in maintaining Nuclear and military arsenals. iii) Communist party was not accountable to the people. iv) Ordinary people became more knowledgeable about the technology.

The Soviet Union, the second most powerful country in the the world suddenly disintegrated due to the following reasons: 1. The economic stagnation was rising over the years and had led to consumer shortages. The internal weaknesses of the Soviet Union were mostly observed in the political and economic institutions.

The shock therapy ruined the economies of Russia and east European countries. The value of the Russian currency, ruble declined considerably. People lost all their savings because of high rate of inflation. The collective farms disintegrated leaving people without any food security. Russia began to import food.

Reasons for the Soviet Union Disintegration Internal weaknesses of Soviet political and economic institutions failed to meet the aspirations of the people. The economy of the Soviet Union became stagnant. The Soviet economy used much of its resources in maintaining a nuclear and military arsenal.

1. The transition was inspired by the World Bank and International Monetary fund in Russia, central Asia, and Eastern Europe. 2. The therapy was a sudden change that transformed the state-controlled economy into a free market economy.

Why is it said the collapse of Berlin Wall signified the collapse of the bi-polar world? The Berlin wall symbolised the division between the capitalist and the communist world. The collapse of Berlin wall marked the unification of the two parts of Germany and the beginning of the end of the communist bloc.

Inspite of all perfection, the Soviet system was full of loopholes. The system was bureaucratic and over-centralised making life difficult for people. It stifled the initiative of people due to lack of democracy and absence of freedom of speech and expression.

Features of the Soviet system: (i) The Soviet System was very bureaucratic and authoritarian. (ii) Lack of democracy and the absence of freedom of speech. (iii) Tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to the people.

(i) It brought ruin to the economies and disaster upon the people of the entire region. (ii) In Russia, the large state-controlled industrial complex almost collapsed. (iii) The value of the ruble- the Russian currency declined. (iv) People lost all their savings due to high rate of inflation.

Disintegration of Soviet Union gave an end to Cold War confrontations and to ideological disputes between two superpowers. Military alliances had been abolished and demand arose for world peace and security.

In the decades after it was established, the Russian-dominated Soviet Union grew into one of the world’s most powerful and influential states and eventually encompassed 15 republics–Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia.

Characteristics of shock therapy include the ending of price controls, the privatization of publicly-owned entities, and trade liberalization. The opposite of shock therapy, gradualism, indicates a slow and steady transition from a controlled economy to an open economy.

DEFINITION of ‘Shock Therapy’ A sudden and dramatic change in national economic policy that turns a state-controlled economy into a free-market one. Characteristics of shock therapy include the ending of price controls, the privatization of publicly-owned entities and trade liberalization.

What is meant by Shock Therapy? Answer: The ‘Shock Therapy’ was the state of affairs which signifies the collapse of communism followed by a painful process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system- 1.

Define ‘Shock Therapy’. The process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system, that was influenced by the World Bank and the IMF came to be known as ‘Shock Therapy’.

Answer:

• End of cold war confrontations. ideological disputes over. stop Arms Race. make piece in world.
• Power relation in world politics. Multi polar system. Liberal democracy emerged best way to organised political life.
• Emergence of new countries ( end of soviet bloc ).