The late 1980s and early 1990s saw numerous regime collapses, primarily due to the fall of communist governments in Eastern Europe, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and other global political shifts.
How many of these were aided and funded under USAID?
Below is a list of key countries that experienced regime collapses during this period, focusing on significant transitions from authoritarian or communist systems to different forms of governance:
Eastern Europe (Fall of Communism)
1. Poland (1989)
◦ The communist government collapsed following partially free elections in June 1989, won by the Solidarity movement. This marked the first non-communist government in the Eastern Bloc.
2. Hungary (1989)
◦ The Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party transitioned to a multiparty system, with the communist regime dissolving after reforms and the symbolic opening of borders with Austria.
3. East Germany (1989-1990)
◦ The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 symbolized the collapse of the communist regime. Mass protests and defections led to the end of the German Democratic Republic, culminating in reunification with West Germany in October 1990.
4. Czechoslovakia (1989)
◦ The Velvet Revolution, a series of peaceful protests, ended communist rule in November-December 1989. Free elections followed in 1990.
5. Bulgaria (1989-1990)
◦ The communist leader Todor Zhivkov was ousted in November 1989, leading to the end of one-party rule and the transition to a multiparty system by 1990.
6. Romania (1989)
◦ The violent Romanian Revolution in December 1989 overthrew Nicolae Ceaușescu’s communist regime. Ceaușescu was executed, and a transitional government was established.
7. Albania (1990-1991)
◦ The communist regime, one of the most isolated in Europe, collapsed after student protests and economic crises. Multiparty elections were held in 1991.
Soviet Union and Its Republics
8. Soviet Union (1991)
◦ The USSR dissolved in December 1991 after a failed coup in August and growing nationalist movements. This led to the independence of its 15 constituent republics:
▪ Russia (transitioned from Soviet governance to a semi-presidential republic)
▪ Ukraine
▪ Belarus
▪ Estonia
▪ Latvia
▪ Lithuania
▪ Georgia
▪ Armenia
▪ Azerbaijan
▪ Kazakhstan
▪ Uzbekistan
▪ Turkmenistan
▪ Kyrgyzstan
▪ Tajikistan
▪ Moldova
Each republic transitioned from Soviet control to independent governance, though some (e.g., Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) retained authoritarian systems.
Yugoslavia and Its Breakup
9. Yugoslavia (1991-1992)
◦ The socialist federal government collapsed amid ethnic tensions and nationalist movements. By 1992, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia declared independence, leading to the Yugoslav Wars. Serbia and Montenegro formed a rump state (FR Yugoslavia).
Other Regions
10. Ethiopia (1991)
◦ The Derg, a Marxist-Leninist military regime, was overthrown by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) after a long civil war, leading to a transitional government.
11. South Africa (1990-1994)
◦ While not a classic "collapse," the apartheid regime began dismantling in 1990 with Nelson Mandela’s release and negotiations for a democratic transition, culminating in free elections in 1994.
12. Somalia (1991)
◦ The Siad Barre regime collapsed amid civil war, leading to a power vacuum and ongoing conflict with no central government for decades.