Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The impact of the nationalist resurgence in the late 1980s in the Soviet…
Full specification wording
What explains the fall of the USSR, c1985–91?: The impact of the nationalist resurgence in the late 1980s in the Soviet republics and in the communist states of Eastern Europe.
Nationalist resurgence means the renewed public assertion of national identity, language, religion and claims to self-rule.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Nationalist resurgence means the renewed public assertion of national identity, language, religion and claims to self-rule. In the Soviet republics, glasnost and perestroika loosened censorship, so grievances long suppressed surfaced: the Baltic states demanded sovereignty and, by 1989, independence; the Caucasus saw conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh; and the Union republics pressed for greater autonomy. In Eastern Europe, nationalism fused with demands for democracy: Solidarity in Poland, Civic Forum in Czechoslovakia and the revolutions of 1989 ended communist monopoly rule. The impact was therefore both centrifugal within the USSR and transformative across the bloc, weakening Moscow's authority and accelerating the collapse of communist systems.
What earns the marks
- Explains that glasnost and perestroika created political space in which nationalist demands could be voiced openly.
- Uses specific Soviet republic examples, such as the Baltic states, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, to show the range of nationalist pressure.
- Distinguishes types of nationalism: cultural and linguistic revival, religious assertion, territorial dispute and demands for sovereignty or independence.
- Explains how nationalism in Eastern Europe interacted with democratisation movements such as Solidarity and Civic Forum.
- Assesses impact on Moscow's authority, including the limits of central control and the role of force or its absence.
- Reaches a supported judgement on how far nationalist resurgence caused, rather than merely accompanied, the collapse of communist rule.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating all nationalist movements as identical.
Put it right by distinguishing cultural revival, territorial conflict and full independence demands.
Assuming nationalism alone destroyed communism.
Put it right by linking it to economic crisis, reform from above and loss of Soviet will to intervene.
Narrating events without assessing impact.
Put it right by explaining consequences for Moscow's authority and for communist party rule.
Exam tips
- Anchor each paragraph in a named republic or state and a dated development to show precise knowledge.
- Use the wording of the question to frame judgements about significance and extent, not just description.
- Plan by theme, such as causes, forms and consequences, before writing to keep the argument controlled.
Try the lesson
The start of the What explains the fall of the USSR, c1985–91?: The impact of the nationalist resurgence in the late 1980s in the Soviet republics and in the communist states of Eastern Europe. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which Soviet republic saw a mass nationalist movement in the late 1980s centred on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan?
Listen
Nationalist resurgence means the renewed public assertion of national identity, language, religion and claims to self-rule. In the Soviet republics, glasnost and perestroika loosened censorship, so grievances long suppressed surfaced: the Baltic states demanded sovereignty and, by 1989, independence; the Caucasus saw conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh; and the Union republics pressed for greater autonomy. In Eastern Europe, nationalism fused with demands for democracy: Solidarity in Poland, Civic Forum in Czechoslovakia and the revolutions of 1989 ended communist monopoly rule. The impact was therefore both centrifugal within the USSR and transformative across the bloc, weakening Moscow's authority and accelerating the collapse of communist systems. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains that glasnost and perestroika created political space in which nationalist demands could be voiced openly. Uses specific Soviet republic examples, such as the Baltic states, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, to show the range of nationalist pressure. Distinguishes types of nationalism: cultural and linguistic revival, religious assertion, territorial dispute and demands for sovereignty or independence. Explains how nationalism in Eastern Europe interacted with democratisation movements such as Solidarity and Civic Forum. A common slip: Treating all nationalist movements as identical. Instead, distinguishing cultural revival, territorial conflict and full independence demands. Exam tip: Anchor each paragraph in a named republic or state and a dated development to show precise knowledge.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Nationalist resurgence
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Glasnost and perestroika
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Sovereignty and independence
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Revolution and democratisation in Eastern Europe
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See every definition
- Nationalist resurgence
- The renewed public assertion of national identity, language, religion and claims to self-rule.
- Glasnost and perestroika
- Reforms that loosened censorship, so grievances long suppressed surfaced in the Soviet republics.
- Sovereignty and independence
- Demands made by the Baltic states, which by 1989 sought independence from the Soviet Union.
- Revolution and democratisation in Eastern Europe
- Nationalism fused with demands for democracy, as in Solidarity in Poland and Civic Forum in Czechoslovakia, ending communist monopoly rule.
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