The Soviet Union, once a world superpower in the 19th century, found itself in chaos in the 20th century. These chaos were marked by the new ideas brought by the new leaders who had eventually emerged into power. Almost every aspect of the Soviet Union in this period was crumbling, both politically and socially, as well as economically. There were underlying reasons for the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and eventually Eastern Europe. The economy is the most significant aspect of any government. The Soviet economy was highly centralized with a “command economy” (p.1.fsmitha.com), which was broken up due to its complexity and centrally controlled with corruption involved. A strong government needs a strong economy to maintain its power and influence, but in this case the Soviet Union's economic planning simply did not work, which had an influence on other communist Eastern European nations that refused to collapse. Economic stagnation has led to worker frustration over low wages, poor working conditions, inefficiency, corruption, and a lack of incentive to do a good job. There were many frustrations among workers in the labor sector who were beginning to express their feelings and emotions towards the Soviet government. Furthermore, the Soviet people were frustrated with the lack of consumer goods which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the Soviet Union's attempt to remain a world superpower cost them dearly, as they had difficulty keeping up. US defense spending under Ronald Reagan. “The Soviet Union spent a large percentage of its GNP on the military due to expanding US spending” (p.3.fsmitha.com). In......middle of paper.......In conclusion, the chaos that the Soviet Union encountered along with the ideas that the new leaders brought to Eastern Europe's enlightenment regarding communism. This made countries understand their freedom and rights through Glasnot. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the freedom and independence of many Soviet states. They were no longer a world superpower, and the difficulties it faced economically, politically and socially led to its own downfall. The collapse of communism in the Soviet Union also led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe as countries became democratic. Works Cited Holt World History: The Human Journey. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003.ebookMacro History and World Report. Frank E. Smitha, 2000-2011