arose after the Second World War with the release of socialism beyond the boundaries of one country. Its emergence was an important factor in the weakening and narrowing of the sphere of influence of imperialism. Further development of military-political, economic, ideological relations of the socialist countries of Eastern Europe led to the formation of the Warsaw Pact and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which actually consolidated the formation of a community of socialist countries with common ideological, political, and economic positions, united by the common goal of building socialism and communism. M. s. With. and the world socialist commonwealth are concepts of the same type, provided that the states included in the M. with. s., the communist and workers' parties that lead them, are coordinated among themselves political course and adhere to common ideological views on the world social process and building socialism and communism. In most socialist countries, their belonging to M. s. With. enshrined in constitutional and program documents. For example, in the Constitution - the Basic Law of the Soviet state - it is written: "The USSR as component world system of socialism, the socialist commonwealth, develops and strengthens friendship and cooperation, comradely mutual assistance with the countries of socialism on the basis of the principle of socialist internationalism, actively participates in economic integration and in the international socialist division of labor” (Article 30). The beginning of M.'s education with. With. put the Great October Socialist Revolution. During its existence, socialism has significantly changed the political picture of the world. If in 1917-19. it accounted for up to 8% of the population, 16% of the territory and less than 3% of world industrial production, in 1981 these figures were respectively about 33%, more than 26% and more than 40%. The growth of the socialist system is historically accomplished through the all-round development of each country within it and all of them together, as well as through the expansion of its composition as a result of an irreversible objective process of falling away from world capitalism more and more countries. Each socialist country has its own rates of economic development. But objectively natural is the faster growth of countries that in the past lagged behind in their development, which is necessary to equalize economic levels within the framework of international economic development. With. Alignment of social and economic conditions within M. of page. With. is a lengthy process. We must also take into account the fact that with the transition to the socialist path of new countries, differences in the socio-economic order will again and again arise, connected with the non-simultaneity of socialist revolutions and with differences in the levels of development of the productive forces, economy, and culture. The further development of the productive forces and production relations, the correct policy of the Marxist-Leninist parties make it possible, under the conditions of a common social system, the coincidence of the fundamental interests and goals of the socialist countries, to overcome difficulties and eliminate existing differences. Socialist countries are sovereign states. Their unity is determined by the expansion and deepening of their mutual cooperation (bilateral and multilateral) on the basis of comradely mutual assistance and mutual benefit. Socialist development, having gone beyond the boundaries of a single state, naturally gave rise to international cooperation among the peoples of the new world in order to rapidly advance the economy, culture, and well-being of the working people, to jointly defend their gains, and to resist imperialism, which is trying to divide the peoples of the countries of international socialism. s., ensuring peace, creating the most important international conditions for building a classless society. A special sphere of international economic, political, ideological, and cultural ties arose (see Socialist Integration). The political consolidation and economic integration of the socialist countries is an indisputable law of the development of each of them and of the M. s. With. generally. Neglect of this law, ignoring the need for fraternal cooperation, refusal to use the advantages and possibilities of M. s. With. signify a break with socialist internationalism, with Marxism-Leninism, a transition to the positions of nationalism. Close all-round cooperation of the socialist countries allows to consider M. of page. With. not as a simple arithmetic sum of states with the same type of socio-political system, but as a new world socio-economic organism, taking shape and developing according to its own special laws. Economic interaction of the states of M. with. With. contributes not only to the economic but also to the social alignment of countries, that is, to the overcoming of differences in their class structure, which is one of the most important prerequisites for the international rapprochement of the peoples of the socialist countries. CPSU and others fraternal parties they are heading towards turning the next two five-year plans into a period of intensive production, scientific and technical cooperation between the socialist countries. Life itself sets the task - to supplement the coordination of plans with the coordination economic policy generally. The agenda also includes such issues as the convergence of the structures of economic mechanisms, further development direct ties between ministries, associations and enterprises participating in cooperation, the creation of joint firms, other forms of combining our efforts and resources are possible ”(Materials of the XXVI Congress of the CPSU, pp. 7-8).

The Soviet Union is solving the tasks of communist construction not alone, but in the fraternal family of socialist countries.

The defeat of German fascism and Japanese militarism in the Second World War under decisive role The Soviet Union created favorable conditions for the overthrow of the power of the capitalists and landowners by the peoples of a number of European and Asian countries. The peoples of Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, and even earlier the Mongolian People's Republic, took the path of building socialism. Soviet Union socialist camp. Yugoslavia also embarked on the path of socialism. However, the Yugoslav leaders, with their revisionist policy, opposed Yugoslavia to the socialist camp and the international communist movement and created the threat of losing the revolutionary gains of the Yugoslav people.

The socialist revolutions in the countries of Europe and Asia dealt a powerful new blow to the positions of imperialism. Especially great importance had the victory of the revolution in China. Revolutions in the countries of Europe and Asia are the largest event in world history since October 1917.

A new form of political organization of society emerged People's Democracy, one of the forms of the dictatorship of the proletariat. It reflected the peculiarity of the development of the socialist revolution under the conditions of the weakening of imperialism and the change in the correlation of forces in favor of socialism. It also reflects the historical and national characteristics of individual countries.

The world system of socialism has taken shape- social, economic and political community of free, sovereign peoples advancing along the path of socialism and communism, united by common interests and goals, close ties of international socialist solidarity.

Socialist production relations dominate in the people's democracies, and the socio-economic possibilities for the restoration of capitalism have been eliminated. The successes of these states have fully confirmed that in all countries, regardless of their level economic development, the size of the territory and the size of the population, true progress can only be ensured along the paths of socialism.

The united forces of the socialist camp reliably guarantee every socialist country against encroachments by imperialist reaction. The rallying of the socialist states into a single camp, its growing unity and continuously growing might ensure the complete victory of socialism and communism within the framework of the entire system.

The countries of the socialist system have accumulated rich collective experience in transforming the lives of hundreds of millions of people, and have introduced many new and original forms of political and economic organization of society. This experience is the most valuable asset of the international revolutionary movement.

It has been confirmed by practice and recognized by all Marxist-Leninist parties that the processes of socialist revolution and socialist construction are based on a number of main rules, inherent in all countries embarking on the path of socialism.

The world system of socialism - a new type of economic and political relations between countries. The socialist countries have the same type of economic basis - public ownership of the means of production; the same type of state "troy" - the power of the people, headed by the working class; a single ideology - Marxism-Leninism; common interests in the defense of revolutionary gains and national independence from the encroachments of the imperialist camp; one great goal - communism. This socio-economic and political community creates an objective basis for stable and friendly interstate relations in the socialist camp. Complete equality, mutual respect for independence and sovereignty, fraternal mutual assistance and cooperation - character traits relations between the countries of the socialist community. In the socialist camp or - which is the same thing - in the world community of socialist countries, no one has and cannot have any special rights and privileges.

The experience of the world socialist system has confirmed the need closest union countries falling away from capitalism, uniting their efforts in building socialism and communism. The policy of building socialism isolated from the world community of socialist countries is unsound in the theoretical sense, since it contradicts the objective laws of the development of socialist society. It is harmful economically, as it leads to the waste of social labor, a decrease in the rate of growth of production, and the dependence of the country on the capitalist world. It is reactionary and politically dangerous, because it does not unite, but divides the peoples in front of the united front of imperialist forces, nourishes bourgeois-nationalist tendencies and, in the end, can lead to the loss of socialist gains.

Combining their efforts in building a new society, the socialist states actively support and expand political, economic and cultural cooperation with countries that have thrown off the colonial yoke. They maintain and are ready to maintain extensive mutually beneficial trade and cultural ties with the capitalist countries.

The development of the world socialist system and the world capitalist system proceeds according to directly opposite laws. If the world system of capitalism took shape and developed in a fierce struggle between the states that formed it, by subjugating and exploiting weak countries by strong ones, enslaving hundreds of millions of people and turning entire continents into colonial appendages of imperialist metropolises, then the process of formation and development of the world socialist system takes place on the basis of sovereignty, full voluntariness and in accordance with the fundamental vital interests of the working people of all states of this system.

If the law of uneven economic and political development operates in the world capitalist system, leading to clashes between states, then opposite laws operate in the world socialist system, ensuring the steady, planned growth of the economy of all its member countries. In the world of capitalism, the growth of production in one country or another deepens the contradictions between states, intensifies the competitive struggle, and the development of each socialist country leads to a general upsurge and strengthening of the world socialist system as a whole. While the economy of world capitalism is developing at a slow pace and is experiencing crises and upheavals, the economy of world socialism is characterized by rapid and stable growth rates and a general uninterrupted economic upswing in all socialist countries.

All socialist states are making their contribution to the construction and development of the world socialist system, to strengthening its might. The existence of the Soviet Union greatly facilitates and accelerates the building of socialism in the People's Democracies. The Marxist-Leninist parties and peoples of the socialist states proceed from the premise that the success of the entire world socialist system depends on the contribution and efforts of each country, and therefore consider it an international duty to develop the productive forces of their country in every possible way. The cooperation of the socialist states allows each of them to make the most rational and full use of their resources and develop their productive forces. In the process of economic, scientific and technical cooperation of the socialist countries, coordination of their national economic plans, specialization and co-operation of production, a new type of international division of labor.

The emergence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and then the world system of socialism, is the beginning of the historical process of the all-round rapprochement of peoples. In the fraternal family of socialist states, with the disappearance of class antagonisms, antagonisms between nations also disappear. The flourishing of the culture of the peoples of the socialist community is accompanied by an ever greater mutual enrichment of national cultures and the active formation of internationalist traits characteristic of a person in a socialist society.

The practice of the peoples of the world socialist community has confirmed that their fraternal unity and cooperation meet the highest national interests of each country. Strengthening the unity of the world socialist system on the basis of proletarian internationalism is an indispensable condition for the further success of all its member states.

The socialist system has to overcome certain difficulties, mainly due to the fact that most of the countries of this system had an average and even low level of economic development in the past, and also to the fact that world reaction is trying with all its might to prevent the building of socialism.

The experience of the Soviet Union and the people's democracies confirmed the correctness of Lenin's thesis that the class struggle does not disappear during the building of socialism. The general trend in the development of the class struggle within the socialist countries under conditions of successful socialist construction leads to the strengthening of the positions of the socialist forces and to the weakening of the resistance of the remnants of the hostile classes. But this development does not proceed in a straight line. In connection with certain changes in the internal and external situation, the class struggle may intensify in certain periods. Therefore, constant vigilance is required in order to stop in time the intrigues of both internal and external hostile forces, which do not give up their attempts to undermine the people's system and bring discord into the fraternal family of socialist countries.

The main political and ideological weapon used by international reaction and the remnants of internal reactionary forces against the unity of the socialist countries is nationalism. Manifestations of nationalism and national narrow-mindedness do not automatically disappear with the establishment of the socialist system. Nationalist prejudices and the remnants of former national strife are the area where resistance to social progress can be the most prolonged and stubborn, fierce and resourceful.

Communists consider it their primary duty to educate the working people in the spirit of internationalism and socialist patriotism, intransigence towards any manifestations of nationalism and chauvinism. Nationalism damages the common interests of the socialist community and, above all, harms the people of the country in which it manifests itself, since isolation from the socialist camp hinders its development, makes it impossible to enjoy the advantages of the world socialist system, and encourages the attempts of the imperialist powers to use nationalist tendencies for their own purposes. Nationalism can only prevail where there is no consistent struggle against it. Marxist-Leninist internationalist policy, a determined struggle to overcome the survivals of bourgeois nationalism and chauvinism - important condition further strengthening of the socialist community. Coming out against nationalism and national egoism, the Communists at the same time always treat the national feelings of the masses with the utmost attention.

The world socialist system is confidently moving towards a decisive victory in the economic competition with capitalism. Already in the near future it will surpass the world capitalist system in terms of the total volume of industrial and agricultural production. The influence of the world socialist system on the course of social development in the interests of peace, democracy and socialism is growing ever stronger. The majestic building of the new world, erected by the heroic labor of free peoples in the vast expanses of Europe and Asia, is the prototype of a new society, the future of all mankind.

• Foreign policy of European countries in the XVIII century.
  • International relationships in Europe
    • Succession Wars
    • Seven Years' War
    • Russian-Turkish war 1768-1774
    • Foreign policy of Catherine II in the 80s.
  • Colonial system of European powers
  • War of Independence in the English Colonies of North America
    • Declaration of Independence
    • US Constitution
    • International Relations
• Leading countries of the world in the XIX century.
  • Leading countries of the world in the XIX century.
  • International relations and the revolutionary movement in Europe in the 19th century
    • Defeat of the Napoleonic Empire
    • Spanish Revolution
    • Greek uprising
    • February Revolution in France
    • Revolutions in Austria, Germany, Italy
    • Education German Empire
    • National Unification of Italy
  • Bourgeois revolutions in Latin America, USA, Japan
    • American Civil War
    • Japan in the 19th century
  • Formation of an industrial civilization
    • Features of the industrial revolution in various countries
    • Social Consequences of the Industrial Revolution
    • Ideological and political currents
    • Trade union movement and the formation of political parties
    • State monopoly capitalism
    • Agriculture
    • Financial oligarchy and concentration of production
    • Colonies and colonial policy
    • Militarization of Europe
    • State- legal organization capitalist countries
• Russia in the 19th century
  • Political and socio-economic development of Russia in early XIX V.
    • Patriotic War 1812
    • The position of Russia after the war. Decembrist movement
    • "Russian Truth" Pestel. "Constitution" by N. Muravyov
    • Decembrist revolt
  • Russia of the era of Nicholas I
    • Foreign policy of Nicholas I
  • Russia in the second half of the XIX century.
    • Implementation of other reforms
    • Transition to reaction
    • Post-reform development of Russia
    • Socio-political movement
• World Wars of the XX century. Causes and consequences
  • The World Historical Process and the 20th Century
  • Causes of World Wars
  • First World War
    • The beginning of the war
    • The results of the war
  • The birth of fascism. The world on the eve of World War II
  • The Second World War
    • Progress of World War II
    • Results of World War II
• major economic crises. The phenomenon of the state-monopoly economy
  • Economic crises of the first half of the XX century.
    • Formation of state-monopoly capitalism
    • The economic crisis of 1929-1933
    • Ways out of the crisis
  • Economic crises of the second half of the XX century.
    • Structural crises
    • World economic crisis 1980-1982
    • Anti-crisis state regulation
• The collapse of the colonial system. Developing countries and their role in international development
  • colonial system
  • Stages of the collapse of the colonial system
  • Third World countries
  • Newly industrialized countries
• • Formation of the world system of socialism
    • Socialist regimes in Asia
  • Stages of development of the world socialist system
  • The collapse of the world socialist system
• Third scientific and technological revolution
  • Stages of modern scientific and technological revolution
    • Achievements of scientific and technological revolution
    • Consequences of scientific and technological revolution
  • Transition to post-industrial civilization
• The main trends in world development at the present stage
  • Internationalization of the economy
    • Integration processes in Western Europe
    • Integration processes of North American countries
    • Integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region
  • Three world centers of capitalism
  • Global problems modernity
• Russia in the first half of the 20th century
  • Russia in the XX century
  • Revolutions in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.
    • Bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1905-1907
    • Russia's participation in the First World War
    • February Revolution of 1917
    • October armed uprising
  • The main stages in the development of the country of the Soviets in the pre-war period (X. 1917 - VI. 1941)
    • Civil war and military intervention
    • New Economic Policy (NEP)
    • Formation of the USSR
    • Accelerated construction of state socialism
    • Planned centralized management of the economy
    • Foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s.
  • Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)
    • War with Japan. End of World War II
• • Russia in the second half of the 20th century
  • Post-war recovery National economy
    • Post-war restoration of the national economy - page 2
  • Socio-economic and political reasons that made it difficult for the country to reach new frontiers
    • Socio-economic and political reasons that made it difficult for the country to reach new frontiers - page 2
    • Socio-economic and political reasons that made it difficult for the country to reach new frontiers - page 3
  • The collapse of the USSR. Post-communist Russia
    • The collapse of the USSR. Post-communist Russia - page 2

Stages of development of the world socialist system

Late 50s, 60s, 70s. Most of the ICC countries have managed to achieve certain positive results in the development of the national economy, ensuring an increase in the living standards of the population. However, during this period, negative trends were also clearly identified, primarily in the economic sphere.

The socialist model, which had become stronger in all the MCC countries without exception, fettered the initiative of economic entities and did not allow an adequate response to new phenomena and trends in the world economic process. This became especially evident in connection with the beginning of the 1950s. scientific and technological revolution.

As it developed, the ICC countries lagged more and more behind the advanced capitalist countries in terms of the rate of introduction of scientific and technological achievements into production, mainly in the field of electronic computers, energy and resource-saving industries and technologies. Attempts to partially reform this model, undertaken in these years, did not give positive results.

The reason for the failure of the reforms was the strongest resistance to them by the party-state nomenklatura, which basically determined the extreme inconsistency and, as a result, the failure of the reform process.

Contradictions within the MSS. To a certain extent, this was facilitated by internal and foreign policy ruling circles of the USSR. Despite the criticism of some of the most ugly features of Stalinism at the 20th Congress, the leadership of the CPSU left intact the regime of the undivided power of the party and state apparatus. Moreover, the Soviet leadership continued to maintain an authoritarian style in relations between the USSR and the ICC countries. To a large extent, this was the reason for the repeated deterioration of relations with Yugoslavia in the late 1950s. and a protracted conflict with Albania and China, although the ambitions of the party elite of the last two countries no less influenced the deterioration of relations with the USSR.

The dramatic events of the Czechoslovak crisis of 1967-1968 demonstrated the style of relations within the MSS most clearly. In response to the broad public movement of citizens of Czechoslovakia for economic and political reforms, the leadership of the USSR, with the active participation of Bulgaria, Hungary, the GDR and Poland, on August 21, 1968, sent its troops into an essentially sovereign state under the pretext of protecting it "from the forces of internal and external counter-revolution" . This action significantly undermined the authority of the MCC and clearly demonstrated the party nomenclature's rejection of genuine, rather than declarative, changes.

In this regard, it is interesting to note that against the backdrop of serious crisis phenomena, the leadership of the socialist countries of Europe, assessing the achievements of the 50-60s. in the economic sphere, came to the conclusion about the completion of the stage of building socialism and the transition to a new stage of "building developed socialism." This conclusion was supported by the ideologists of the new stage, in particular by the fact that the share of the socialist countries in world industrial production reached 100% in the 1960s. about one third, and in the global national income - one quarter.

The role of the CMEA. One of the essential arguments was the fact that, in their opinion, the development was quite dynamic. economic relations within the MSS along the CMEA line. If in 1949 the CMEA was faced with the task of regulating foreign trade relations on the basis of bilateral agreements, then since 1954 a decision was made to coordinate the national economic plans of its member countries, and in the 60s. followed by a series of agreements on specialization and co-operation of production, on the international division of labor.

Major international economic organizations, such as the International Bank for Economic Cooperation, Intermetall, the Institute for Standardization, etc. In 1971, the Comprehensive Program for Cooperation and Development of the CMEA Member Countries on the Basis of Integration was adopted.

In addition, according to the estimates of the ideologists of the transition to a new historical stage in the construction of communism in most European countries of the ICC, a new social structure population on the basis of completely victorious socialist relations, etc.

In the first half of the 1970s, in most countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, very stable growth rates of industrial production were indeed maintained, averaging 6-8% annually.

To a large extent, this was achieved by an extensive method, i.e. the growth of production capacities and the growth of simple quantitative indicators in the field of electricity production, steel smelting, mining, and engineering products. Complications from the mid-70s. However, by the mid-1970s the socio-economic and political situation began to deteriorate. At this time in countries with market economy, under the influence of the scientific and technological revolution, a structural restructuring of the national economy began, associated with the transition from an extensive to an intensive type of economic development. This process was accompanied by crisis phenomena both within these countries and at the global level, which, in turn, could not but affect the foreign economic positions of MCC entities.

The growing lag of the ICC countries in the scientific and technical sphere steadily led to the loss of the positions they had won in the world market. The domestic market of the socialist countries also experienced difficulties.

By the 80s. the unacceptable lagging behind of industries producing goods and services from the extractive and heavy industries that were still afloat led to a total shortage of consumer goods.

This caused not only a relative, but also an absolute deterioration in the living conditions of the population and, as a result, became the reason for the growing discontent of citizens. The demand for radical political and socio-economic transformations is becoming almost universal.

The crisis situation was also clearly indicated in the sphere of interstate economic cooperation, based on administrative decisions that often do not take into account the interests of the CMEA member countries, but also in a real reduction in the volume of mutual trade.

Events in Poland. Poland became a kind of detonator for the subsequent reform process. Already in the early 70s. mass demonstrations of workers against the economic policy of the government took place there, an independent trade union association workers "Solidarity". Under his leadership, Poland's performances took place in the 7080s.

The manifestation of the growing crisis was also observed in other countries. But until the mid-80s. the ruling communist parties still had the opportunity to keep the situation under control, there were still some reserves to contain the economic and social crisis, including the power ones. Only after the beginning of transformations in the USSR in the second half of the 80s. the movement for reform in most of the ISA countries has grown markedly.

An important event of the post-war period was the "people's democratic revolutions" in a number of European countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, as well as in Asia: in Vietnam, China, North Korea and earlier - a revolution in Mongolia. To a large extent, their political orientation under the influence of the stay in the territory of most of them Soviet troops. This also largely contributed to the fact that in most countries cardinal transformations began in the political, socio-economic and other spheres in accordance with the Stalinist model. The emergence of the socialist model beyond the boundaries of one country laid the foundation for the emergence of a community called "world system of socialism" (MSS). At the end of the 80s. 20th century the MSS included 15 states occupying 26.2% of the territory the globe and accounting for 32.3% of the world's population.

CMEA formation. The creation of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) in January 1949 can be considered a notable milestone in the history of the formation of the MSU. Economic, scientific and technical cooperation was carried out through the CMEA initially among the European socialist countries. Military-political cooperation was carried out within the framework of the Warsaw Pact created in May 1955. The socialist countries of Europe remained a relatively dynamically developing part of the MSS. At its other extreme were Mongolia, China, North Korea, and Vietnam. These countries most consistently used the Stalinist model of building socialism, decisively eradicating elements of market, private property relations within the framework of a rigid one-party system.

Stages of MSS development. Most of the ICC countries have succeeded in achieving well-known positive results in the development of the national economy, ensuring an increase in the living standards of the population. However, during this period, negative trends were also clearly identified. The socialist model, which had become stronger in all the MSS countries, fettered the economic initiative and did not allow an adequate response to new phenomena and trends in the world. This became especially evident in connection with the beginning of the 1950s. NTR. As it developed, the ICC countries lagged more and more behind the advanced countries in terms of the rate of introduction of scientific and technological achievements, mainly in the field of electronic computers, energy and resource-saving industries and technologies. Attempts to partially reform this model, undertaken in these years, did not give positive results. The reason for the failure of the reforms was the strongest resistance to them by the party-state nomenklatura, which basically determined the extreme inconsistency, and as a result, the failure of the reform process.

In the mid 70s. the socio-economic and political situation in the socialist countries began to deteriorate. At that time, in countries with a market economy, under the influence of scientific and technological revolution, a structural restructuring of the economy began, associated with the transition from an extensive to an intensive type of development. The growing lag of the ICC countries in the scientific and technical sphere steadily led to the loss of the positions they had won in the world market. By the 80s. lagging behind industries producing goods and services from the extractive and heavy industries that were still afloat, led to the emergence of total deficit for consumer goods. The demand for radical political and socio-economic transformations is becoming almost universal.

The collapse of the MSS. At the end of the 80s. a wave of democratic revolutions took place in the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, which eliminated the monopoly power of the ruling communist parties, replacing it with a democratic form of government. The revolutions unfolded almost simultaneously - in the second half of 1989, but took place in various forms. So, in most countries, the change of power took place peacefully (Poland, Hungary, the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria), while in Romania - as a result of an armed uprising. Market relations began to be restored everywhere, the process of denationalization was rapidly going on, and private capital began to play an increasingly important role. As a result of the collapse of the MSS, a line was drawn, as it were, under the long period of totalitarianism in the history of most countries of Eastern Europe.

The results of the war brought about fundamental changes in the international situation.

The war ended the half-century struggle of the imperialist states for world leadership, the United States becomes the dominant "superpower" in the capitalist world. The Soviet Union, although it suffered heavy losses, emerged from the war as a mighty military force and gained enormous prestige in the world community. This correlation of forces in the interformational contradiction largely determined social development in the post-war world.

As a result of the war, the world system of capitalism turned out to be significantly weakened as a whole. In the Western European center: Germany and Italy - defeated; France, subjected to German occupation, reduced production to 30% of pre-war; England, whose debt increased 3 times, was directly dependent on the United States. Another center of the imperialist system (Japan) was also destroyed. The only country that dramatically increased its financial, economic, and military power as a result of the war was the United States of America. The Second World War, like the First, turned into a "golden" rain for the United States. The volume of their industrial output has more than doubled, the national income has grown from $97 billion in 1941 to $161 billion in 1944. Taking advantage of the weakness of its competitors, the United States is seizing the bulk of the world market and laying claim to world domination.

In all capitalist countries, popular sympathy for the socialist idea has increased significantly, and the influence of the communist and socialist parties, which led the anti-fascist struggle, has increased, and their representatives entered the governments of many states. In the colonies and dependent countries, the struggle against the invaders caused a rise in national self-consciousness, a desire for state independence and social reorganization.

The socialist and communist movements in the countries of various continents, the anti-imperialist struggle in the dependent states and the national liberation struggle of the colonial peoples merged into a single world revolutionary stream. The growth of the might of the USSR, its example and the Soviet Union's support for the peoples in the struggle against imperialism contributed to the development of democratic processes in the world.

Under the prevailing historical conditions, world social development included three main directions.

The first is the development of socialism. It proceeded in the following specific historical forms: 1) the development of the USSR as a stronghold of the world socialist system; 2) the transition to the socialist path of development of countries and peoples of various civilizations in Europe, Asia and Latin America, the formation of a world socialist system; 3) the development of elements of socialism within the capitalist countries - the continuation of the process of "socialization" of capitalism due to internal causes and under the influence of the example of the socialist countries. All this shows general pattern transition of the world community to the socialist system.

The second is the transition of the capitalist formation to the world-monopoly stage. National state-monopoly capitalism (GMK), which was formed in the first half of the 20th century, is developing into a new stage, into world-monopoly capitalism (WMC) - "global imperialism" with the economic, political and military center in the United States.

The third is the national liberation movement in the colonial and dependent countries. As a result of the struggle for independence, these countries are moving to an independent path of development in various forms of the social structure of society.

All three components of the world historical process developed in mutual connection in a concretely developing historical situation, closely intertwined with each other. Imperialism, led by the United States, by force of arms, economic, financial, informational and ideological pressure counteracted the development of the socialist system and the national liberation movement of a socialist orientation.

The most important event of the first post-war years was the transition to the socialist path of development of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, where, in the course of liberation from fascism, people's power was established and people's democratic republics were formed. Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia fell away from the system of capitalism in Europe. They consistently carried out socialist transformations. Everywhere the property of those who collaborated with the fascists was confiscated, large-scale industry, banks, and transport were nationalized; carried out land reform. In a tense political struggle, the bourgeois elements were defeated, and the political parties of the working class and peasantry were established in power. The Soviet Union paralyzed the attempts of imperialism to interfere in the internal affairs of the people's democratic states, the presence of Soviet troops did not allow them to unleash civil war and organize an intervention. At the same time, the Soviet administration provided support to the forces of socialist orientation.

The victory of the socialist revolution in China was of great historical significance. As a result of many years of armed struggle, the power of the Kuomintang government was overthrown, and on October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was formed. The Communist Party of China came to power and began socialist reforms. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) embarked on the path of socialist development. In general, in the first years after the Second World War, eleven states went over to the construction of socialism. The world process of development of the socialist system began in the countries of various civilizations.

The transition of the United States to confrontation with the USSR, the creation of the NATO bloc The deployment of the "cold war"

Developing the contours of the post-war world order, the leaders of the great powers of the anti-Hitler coalition (which had agreements between themselves on friendship and cooperation after the war) agreed on the main approaches to the problems of the post-war world at conferences in Yalta and Potsdam (1945).

Their essence was that, along with the delimitation of spheres of influence between the victorious countries, it was envisaged to ensure a wide the international cooperation to eliminate the consequences of the war and develop a reliable mechanism international control for the security of all peoples, for political and military stability in the world by the activities of the United Nations (UN), established in 1945.

However, already during the Potsdam Conference (July-August 1945), differences emerged in the approaches of the Western powers and the USSR to the post-war order of the world. The leading political circles of the United States and Britain saw in the emerging historical situation a threat to their position in the world and the existence of capitalism as a whole. The first step in the official confrontation with the USSR was Truman's violation of Roosevelt's promise given at the Yalta Conference to Stalin to withdraw American troops from Europe 6 months after the end of the war. Then delays began in the preparation and conclusion of peace treaties with Germany's former allies. Only on February 10, 1947, agreements were signed with Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland. The undoubted merit of the USSR in this peaceful settlement based on the cooperation of all the main powers of the anti-Hitler coalition was that the treaties did not contain provisions that infringe on the political and economic independence of the defeated states, the national dignity of their peoples. The treaties provided for territorial changes, taking into account the national interests of the states participating in the fight against fascism.

The retention by the United States, Britain and France of a powerful group of troops in their zones of occupation of Germany and the turn of the policy of the former allies towards confrontation with the USSR led to the deployment Soviet army in Germany and other European countries. The Soviet Union failed to get the allies to fulfill the agreement on the creation of a united democratic Germany. In the western zone of occupation, a separate German state is being created - the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). In response to this, with the support of the USSR, an eastern German state is formed - the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

The economy of European states and Japan, destroyed by the war, required great economic efforts and investments to restore. American imperialism used this situation to establish its hegemony by creating a single economic space of the capitalist world based on the dollar financial system and the development of transnational corporations (TNCs), tying Europe and Japan to the US economy. These goals were consistent with the "Marshall Plan" (US Secretary of State), which provided for economic aid countries under certain political conditions.

A kind of declaration of the "cold war" was the speech of W. Churchill in Fulton (USA) on March 5, 1946, in which he called for uniting forces against the "threat of communism" and creating a military-political alliance against the USSR. These ideas are set forth in President Truman's official message to Congress on March 12, 1947: "the fight against communism" is declared the main goal of US policy. A draft of the USSR ultimatum was found in the Truman archives. Beginning in September 1945, plans for a preventive war against the USSR using nuclear weapons were being developed at the headquarters of the US armed forces. As the US nuclear potential increased, these plans, in accordance with the military doctrine of "massive retaliation", became more and more dangerous. Threat nuclear war against the USSR was real.

In 1949, the NATO military-political bloc (“North Atlantic Union”) was created, directed against the USSR. It is then joined by the US-created regional alliances around the USSR and China. In 1954 and 1955 SEATO and CENTO were formed, in which the USA, Great Britain and France involved 25 more states of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

In the period 1945 - 1955. the economy of the leading capitalist countries, having gone through several crises, recovered and picked up growth rates in the general system of world economic relations around the economic center - the United States. In the 60s. three centers have again formed in the capitalist world: the main center is the USA and Canada; the second is Western Europe, where the FRG is gaining more and more power; the third is Japan, which makes extensive use of American and European technologies, combining them with national characteristics organization of labor in enterprises. In contrast to the pre-war system of state-monopoly capitalism, Europe and Japan are now closely linked politically, financially and technologically with the United States, which led the formation of global ties of world-monopoly capitalism in their national interests.

The formation of the CMC system was accompanied by a process of sharp confrontation with the developing world system of socialism and the waging of local wars against the national liberation movement in the colonial and dependent countries. In the period 1945 - 1969. The USA, England, France and other NATO countries participated in more than 70 wars and local conflicts in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The United States during this period received the title of "gendarme of the world." United States of America launches a race nuclear weapons and go over to the conduct of the "cold war" against the USSR. After the expiration of the secrecy period, the plans for waging a nuclear war against the USSR and the countries of the socialist community, developed by the American command, were made public. All of them provided for an attack on the USSR by the United States of America first with massive nuclear strikes by cities: June 1946 - "Pinger" plan - 20 cities of the USSR; August 1947 - Boiler plan - 25 cities in the USSR and 18 in Eastern Europe; January 1948 - Grabber plan, then Chariotir, Halfmoon, Fleetwood; June 1949 - "Drop Shot". According to the latest plan, it was planned to use 300 atomic bombs and 250 thousand tons of conventional bombs to destroy 85% of Soviet industry, 154 NATO divisions to occupy the USSR and divide it into 20-25 puppet states. The plan called for the widespread use of "dissidents" to wage "psychological warfare". “Psychological warfare is an extremely important weapon for promoting dissent and betrayal among the Soviet people; it will undermine his morals, sow confusion and create disorganization in the country. Achieve a combination of psychological, economic and underground warfare with plans for military operations. It is known that such plans were developed before 1982 with several thousand targets.

In the late 40s - early 50s. the US and NATO leadership are developing a comprehensive concept of the Cold War. Its ultimate goal is the overthrow of governments and the destruction of the socialist (“communist”) system. The Cold War, according to this concept, includes all forms of struggle characteristic of waging a full-scale total war: economic, diplomatic, ideological and psychological, subversive activities and the introduction of proteges into the country's leadership. The conduct of direct hostilities is replaced by the threat of the use of nuclear weapons with an exhausting arms race. The leading place in the complex of these measures was occupied by "psychological warfare". In the 50s. "" was accepted by NATO military theorists as a special form of modern warfare on a par with total nuclear, limited and local wars. The concept of the "cold war" was reflected in a number of works by NATO military theorists, among which was the translation of E. Kingston-McClory's work "Military Policy and Strategy" published in 1963 in the USSR.

In accordance with this concept, a long-term program of purposeful destructive actions has been developed using the superior economic potential of the capitalist countries and the achievements of science and technology. It was believed that the USSR lags behind the United States in development: industry by 15 years, technical by 5-10 years, transport by 10 years, and nuclear weapons by 5-10 years. And although these calculations, especially for nuclear weapons, were not confirmed, the initial superiority of the combined economic potential of the developed capitalist countries created difficult conditions for the USSR in economic and military confrontation.

The arms race was a heavy burden on Soviet society, significantly reducing its ability to compete in social and economic competition with the world capitalist system. However, the real threat of war when the United States achieved decisive military superiority forced the leadership of the USSR to respond to it by increasing its military power as a real condition for maintaining peace. The struggle for peace also became the main direction of the diplomatic activity of the Soviet Union.

For the conduct of the "cold war" in the United States in the 50s - 60s. a powerful scientific base is being created for studying the state and developing methods for the destruction of the USSR and the world socialist system - research centers for "Sovietology" and "study of socialist countries". Centers for the training of personnel capable of active subversive activities - psychologists, economists, journalists and historians - specialists in anti-communism, closely cooperate with them. For this, materials and specialists exported from Nazi Germany, anti-Soviet emigrant centers, a secret network of agents that have been working against the USSR since the 1920s are used. All the experience of psychological warfare, accumulated during the Second World War by the United States and Nazi Germany, and a powerful financial force (26-28 billion dollars annually) are involved. The calculation was made for a long struggle against the change of generations in the leadership, for the natural departure of the “generation of winners”, for the decay and degeneration of a new generation of Soviet leaders.

Attaching great importance to the information and psychological warfare, the US leadership creates a world information control center (USIA) and powerful propaganda centers - "Voice of America", "Freedom", "Free Europe", "Deutsche Welle", etc. In 1997, English television showed a program about how the CIA in the 50s. even created a special art, in every sense an alternative to Soviet socialist realism, called "abstract expressionism". With strong financial support through charitable societies, this direction in art began to be rapidly planted in many countries.

While deploying the "cold war" against the USSR and the socialist countries, the American leadership and its allies at the same time directed their efforts to strengthening their rear against the "threat of communism." In the 40s - 50s. in the USA and Western Europe, an active struggle against the communist movement (“McCarthyism”) and subversive activities within it are launched, and bourgeois influence on the social democratic movement is growing. Sophisticated anti-Soviet propaganda is being carried out in all countries in order to create an image of the enemy in the face of the USSR and the communists of all countries as "agents of the Kremlin." In the minds of the peoples of Europe and America, the image of the USSR as a fighter against fascism and a liberator of peoples under the influence of psychological warfare was gradually replaced by the image of a "red aggressor" and "occupier".

Raising the economy through American assistance and exploitation of the colonies, the bourgeoisie of Western Europe had the opportunity already in the mid-1950s. raise the standard of living of the population and introduce a number of social guarantees. The process of "socialization" of capitalism received a new impetus. Western propaganda skillfully presented these measures, opposing the "Western way of life" to the complexities of social development in the countries of the socialist community. This was how the rear of world capitalism was strengthened for the conduct of the Cold War, which played an important role in the general course of the confrontation between the two social systems.

Formation of the world system of socialism. The development of the anti-imperialist struggle, the collapse of colonialism

The formation of socialism in the countries of Eastern Europe and Asia took place under difficult conditions. Historically, socialism was established in the economically underdeveloped, predominantly agrarian countries (with the exception of Czechoslovakia, partly the GDR and Hungary). The war inflicted heavy damage on their economy (especially the GDR, China, Vietnam). The restoration of the economy destroyed by the war in the new socialist states was carried out simultaneously with the restructuring of the economy and social transformations on a socialist basis. This process took place with the active political and material support of the USSR. The "Marshall Plan", which provided for economic assistance to the United States of America on political terms, was rejected by the leadership of these countries. On the basis of a planned economy in all countries by 1948-1949. the pre-war level of production was reached (in the GDR by 1950) and, in accordance with the plans for economic development, industrialization and cooperation began Agriculture. The pace of economic development, the growth of living standards of the population and the development social sphere exceeded those of the capitalist countries.

In 1949, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) was established - an economic and political union of socialist countries to help organize systematic economic and cultural cooperation. The CMEA included Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Albania (from the end of 1961 it did not participate in the work of the CMEA). Subsequently, the organization included the GDR (1950), Mongolia (1962), Vietnam (1978), Cuba (1972). The creation of the CMEA formalized the formation of the world socialist system headed by the USSR and contributed to the rapid economic and social development of the states included in the Council.

An "iron curtain" is being lowered between the capitalist world and the socialist countries (by efforts on both sides). It prevents not only the hostile influence and penetration of the capitalist world into the socialist countries, but also economic, scientific, technical and cultural exchange. Imperialism is also trying to "reject communism" by using military force against individual socialist countries: a war is unleashed in Korea, in Vietnam, and an invasion of Cuba is carried out. The firm foreign policy of the USSR, the active political struggle for peace, and its direct support for the struggle of the socialist countries do not allow imperialism to stop their development along the socialist path by force of arms.

The war in Korea (1950 - 1953) was the first large-scale military clash between imperialism and the countries of the socialist community formed after the Second World War, the first major local war of the postwar period. After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from North Korea, and later - and American troops from the South, two Korean states were formed: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea. The desire to unify Korea by force of arms was shown by both Korean states.

The war began on June 25, 1950 with border clashes, after which the Korean People's Army (KPA) went on the offensive. The defeat of the South Korean troops and the threat of losing their foothold on the Asian continent caused the US to intervene in the civil war in Korea. The US government achieved a UN decision approving the participation of the armed forces of the US and 15 other capitalist states in the intervention. On July 1, the American command began the transfer of the 8th American Army from Japan and massive bombing of military facilities and troops of the DPRK. But the offensive under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Kim Il Sung continued, the KPA liberated 90% of the territory of Korea.

On September 15, having accumulated superior forces, the enemy launched a counteroffensive with a powerful landing in the rear of the KPA. At the end of the month, the invaders took Seoul, and in October they captured Pyongyang and reached the Korean-Chinese border. The help of China and the USSR made it possible to restore the combat effectiveness of the KPA; at the end of October, the North Korean troops and parts of the Chinese volunteers launched a counteroffensive. Over the next 8 months, during stubborn battles, the territory of the DPRK was liberated and the front stabilized on the 38th parallel, from where hostilities began. The confrontation continued for another 2 years, when negotiations were underway. The DPRK held out, and on July 27, 1953, an armistice agreement was signed. The United States was unable to solve the "Korean problem" by military means.

The 64th Fighter Air Corps of the Soviet Armed Forces, which is part of the United Air Army, participated in the war. During the war, Soviet pilots shot down 1,097 enemy planes, 212 with anti-aircraft artillery fire. 3,504 military personnel were awarded orders and medals, 22 pilots received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Losses amounted to 125 pilots and 335 aircraft. (Russia (USSR) in local wars and military conflicts of the second half of the 20th century - M., 2000.)

In 1961, an attempt by the United States to intervene in Cuba ended in failure. Operation Pluto included air bombing and amphibious landings in the Playa Giron area on 17 April. The struggle against the aggressors assumed a nationwide character. Within 2 days, the Cuban army under the leadership of Fidel Castro defeated the landing, on April 20 completed the liquidation and capture of the surviving groups of mercenaries from Cuban counter-revolutionaries. On April 18, the Soviet Union issued a resolute statement of readiness to provide the Cuban people with the necessary assistance and support. The subsequent blockade of Cuba by the American fleet and the threat of a new intervention in October 1962 caused serious military measures by the USSR in support of the Cuban people. The outbreak of the crisis led to the threat of nuclear war. The United States was forced to retreat, to abandon the invasion, and the USSR, for its part, compromised on the deployment of its weapons in Cuba. Socialism on the island of Liberty survived.

The largest US aggression against a socialist country in Asia was the Vietnam War (1964-1973). The puppet "Saigon" regime in South Vietnam served as a springboard for the deployment of the war, against which the armed struggle of the People's Liberation Front of South Vietnam rose up for unification with North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam). Having increased its grouping in South Vietnam to 90 thousand people, the United States is moving to open intervention. On August 2, 1964, they provoked a collision between their ships and DRV torpedo boats, and on August 7, the US Congress officially approved the aggression. The unfolding US war against Vietnam had two periods: the deployment of aggression from August 5, 1964 to November 1, 1968 and the curtailment of the scale of the war - from November 1968 to January 27, 1973.

Against the DRV, the United States used its air and naval forces in order to undermine the economy, the morale of the people and stop providing assistance to the patriots of South Vietnam. Bombing with napalm and the spraying of toxic agents was also carried out in Laos and Cambodia. In military operations against the patriots of South Vietnam, they actively used ground troops. As a result of prolonged fighting and partisan actions, the troops of the Popular Front managed to liberate the territory with a population of 1.5 million people. The Soviet Union carried out the supply of weapons and equipment to the DRV by sea, despite the blockade of the coast by the US Navy. The US leadership was forced to negotiate, and on November 1, 1968, the American bombing of North Vietnam ceased. Played an important role in the defense of the DRV missile systems supplied by the USSR.

In June 1969, the Congress of People's Representatives proclaimed the formation of the Republic of South Vietnam (RSV). The army of the Republic of South Ossetia numbered over 1 million people and increased its strikes against the enemy. The United States, in accordance with the "Nixon Doctrine", is moving to the "Vietnamization of the war" in Indochina, shifting the main burden of the struggle to the Saigon army. The crushing blows of the army of the South Vietnam, the political, economic and military support of the USSR and the progressive forces of the world, as well as the rise of the pacifist movement in the United States against the many years of war with heavy losses, forced the American political leadership to conclude an agreement to end the war. It was signed in Paris on January 27, 1973. The regime of South Vietnam was overthrown in 1975.

According to American data, the United States spent $140 billion on the war, 2.5 million American troops took part in it, 58,000 were killed, about 2,000 were missing, and 472 pilots were captured. The American nation felt defeated and humiliated. The "Vietnam Syndrome" affects the US to this day. In July 1976, reunification was completed and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was formed. On the whole, world imperialism has not succeeded in stopping the transition to socialism in the countries of Asia and Latin America by military force.

The strengthening of the NATO bloc caused retaliatory measures by the countries of the socialist community. Six years after its creation in 1955, a military-political union of socialist countries was formed - the Warsaw Pact Organization (OVR). With the help of the USSR, the armed forces of Bulgaria, Hungary, the GDR, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Albania are being strengthened (withdrew from the organization in 1968).

In the 50s - 60s. the economy of the countries of the socialist community developed at a steady high rate (about 10% per year on average). The established world socialist system is rapidly building up its economic potential and military might. The Soviet Union, having reached the forefront of world scientific, technological and social progress, actively contributed to the rise of the countries of the socialist community. The countries of Eastern Europe have turned from agrarian to industrial-agrarian. From 1956 - 1957 CMEA member countries switched to specialization and co-production, and the practice of coordinating national economic plans was introduced. In 1964, the International Bank for Economic Cooperation was established to regulate international payments. The economies of China, Vietnam, and Korea developed more independently; cooperation with the USSR proceeded on a bilateral basis, taking into account the peculiarities of the economic development of countries and the specific historical situation.

The development of the world socialist system was supported communist parties in many countries of the world. international communist movement was an important factor in the world historical process. After the liquidation of the Comintern, international contacts of the CPSU(b) went on on a bilateral basis. In 1947, a new body was created - the Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties. After its dissolution in April 1956, periodic meetings of the communist and workers' parties were held, at which political positions were agreed.

The formation of the world socialist system is a complex social process. The sharp differences in economic, political and social development, national cultures and traditions required a variety of approaches to the formation of a new social order, the originality of the ways and pace of social change in each country. The absolutization of the Soviet model in the development of socialism, under the influence of objective and subjective factors, in a number of cases came into conflict with the peculiarities of the national development of countries, and the class struggle did not die out in them. This led to crises with the use of military force: in the GDR in 1951, in Poland in 1953, in Hungary in 1956, in Czechoslovakia in 1968. The subversive activities of the West played a significant role in exacerbating the contradictions.

Simultaneously with the development of the world socialist system, a stormy process of national liberation movement is going on in the colonial and dependent countries. Centuries-old colonial empires are collapsing: British, French, Belgian, Portuguese. Indonesia, India, a number of countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia are seeking independence in the Third World countries. The destruction of the colonial system has begun. The USSR, holding back the aggression of the USA, NATO, Israel, provides active assistance (including military) to the liberation movements and strengthens its influence in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The liberated countries are looking for independent ways of development, some of them are drawn into the military-military system, and some adjoin the world socialist system. The struggle of the colonial peoples for their independence and an independent path of development by the end of the 60s. led to the complete collapse of the colonial system. IN global community included more than 100 new states.

The resolute support of the Arab movement against the US and Israel, as well as the Cuban revolution by the Soviet Union, stopped the aggressive actions of imperialism. The aggravation of the international situation during these years (the Middle East crisis of 1956 and 1957; the Caribbean crisis of 1962) several times brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The growth of the military and economic might of the USSR, the consolidation of anti-imperialist forces, and a sober approach to assessing the international situation in moments of crisis made it possible to avoid a nuclear catastrophe. Kennedy and Khrushchev laid the foundation for harmonizing the interests of the USA and the USSR on the principles of compromise. However, Kennedy was soon killed, the mystery of his assassination has not yet been solved.

The nuclear missile power of the USSR forced the United States in the early 60s. change the military doctrine of nuclear "retaliation" to a "flexible response strategy", and the achievement by the Soviet Union by the end of the 60s. military-strategic parity ensured the stability of the international situation for many years.

In general, capitalism by the end of the 60s. turned out to be significantly reduced. But it retained its viability, its financial and economic power, and most importantly, the pace of scientific and technological progress. The United States managed to achieve the complete consolidation of all capitalist countries under its leadership in the general opposition to the socialist system, as well as to create new economic and political levers for subordinating the newly-liberated countries to the world capitalist system (“neo-colonialism”). The confrontation between the two world systems, the inter-formational contradiction of capitalism and socialism comes to the end of the 60s. into a new phase.