Chapter 16

Chapter 16, Section 1
1. The Soviet Union was a command economy, in which the government made key economic decision. Today, Russia is a market economy, in which businesses are privately owned. In1991, instead of operation as kolkhozes and sovkhozes, farms began restructuring to function better in a market economy. Russia’s state owned aerospace industry and it military-industrial system were its economic and technical focus. Many of these components have become privately owned and provide export income. Russia depends on railroads and waterways for most of it transport needs. During the Soviet era, state agencies reviewed all print and broadcast materials to make sure they contained no criticism of the government. Since, the fall of the Soviet Union, Russians have heard and read new voices and fresh views.

2. Russia has focused on becoming a full partner in the global community by expanding trade and building international relationships.

Creative Writing: Mikhail Gorbachev began to move toward a market economy, in which businesses are privately owned. Gorbachev reduced government controls, and encouraged foreign investment. Russian president Boris Yeltsin removed 90% of price controls and encouraged the mass privatization (a change to private ownership) of state-owned companies.

Chapter 16, Section 2
1. The World Bank’s Sustainable Forestry Pilot Project is helping Russia manage its forests. Using land more wisely, protection forests, planting new trees, and increasing private investment all help Russia’s environment and economy. Environmental groups have demanded that the mining company in Kamchatka meet strict environmental standards.

2. Millions of fish and other marine animals die unnecessarily every year because anything caught in Russia’s fishing nets that are not needed gets discarded. Smaller boats cannot compete with supertrawlers, the big ships that threaten traditional fishing cultures. Pipelines built to transport oil and gas pass through wilderness areas and threaten the surrounding environment and wildlife. The widespread trend toward global warming is happening at a dramatic pass in western Siberia.

Creative Writing: The Soviets’ disregard for the environmental effects of industrialization damaged Russia’s water, air, and soil. Fertilizer runoff, sewage, and radioactive material all contribute to poor water quality which poses health risks. Toxic waste dumps and airborne pollution poisoned Russia’s soil. Petroleum pipelines that broke allowed petroleum to ruin the land. Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides polluted farmland and water. Acid rain and chemical pollution, due to poor air quality have reduced Russian forests dramatically.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15, Section 1

1. How has the role of religion changed in post-Soviet Russia?
After the fall of the Soviet Union lawmakers placed restrictions on the activities of newly established religious groups. Only Russian Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism were allowed full liberty as traditional religions of Russia.

2. What are Russia’s major ethnic groups?
Russia’s major ethnic groups are Slavs (ethnic Russians), Caucasian (live in the Caucasus region of southwestern Russia), and the Turkin (live in the southwestern Russia in the Caucasus area and in the middle Volga area).

Creative Writing:
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, school curriculum changed. Schools emphasize a more balanced education, instead of focusing on only math, science, and engineering. Now an education includes language, history, and literature.

Chapter 15, Section 2

1. Who were the ancestors of the ethnic Russians?
Ethnic Russian ancestors were Slav farmers, hunters, and fishers who settled near the waterways of the Northern European Plain. Scandinavian warriors called Varangians settled among the Slavs living near the Dnieper and Volga Rivers.

2. What were the causes of the Soviet Union’s collapse?
The Soviet Union’s weakening economy, the great discrepancies between workers’ wages and the privileges their leaders enjoyed, led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Creative Writing:
The Soviet Union collapsed from many causes between 1989-1991, such as its weakening economy (partially caused by the Cold War). The United States was fighting against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. The Soviet Union failed defeated by the United States and some other countries involved. The Soviet Union’s Communist leaders lost their power after they were weakened by the war. The Communist party was forced to surrender its monopoly on state power.