Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Political Science

Chapter

Contemporary World Politics: End of Bi-Polarity

Question:

Match the following Political personalities in List 1 with the Description that suits them the most in List 2:

List- 1 (Leaders)

List- 2 (Description)

(A) Mikhail Gorbachev

(I) credited with the controversial invasion of Afghanistan.

(B) Leonid Brezhnev

(II) initiated the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan

(C) Boris Yeltsin

(III) is associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis

(D) Nikita Khrushchev

(IV) criticized for hardships faced by Russians during shock therapy

Options:

(A)- III, (B)- I, (C)- IV, (D)- II

(A)- III, (B)- IV, (C)- I, (D)- II

(A)- II, (B)- I, (C)- IV, (D)- III

(A)- IV, (B)- I, (C)- III, (D)- II

Correct Answer:

(A)- II, (B)- I, (C)- IV, (D)- III

Explanation:

Mikhail Gorbachev, who assumed the role of the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, is renowned for ushering in a transformative era characterized by innovative economic and political
reforms encapsulated in "perestroika" (restructuring) and "glasnost" (openness). His leadership marked a pivotal shift in the Cold War dynamic, as he actively worked to halt the arms race with the United States and initiated the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan and Eastern Europe. Gorbachev played a key role in the peaceful unification of Germany, contributing significantly to ending the protracted Cold War tensions. However, his legacy is also associated with the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union, a development that carries mixed evaluations of his leadership.

Leonid Brezhnev, who led the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, introduced the concept of the Asian Collective Security system and played a prominent role in the détente phase of Soviet-American relations. His leadership was marked by significant international events, including the suppression of a popular rebellion in Czechoslovakia and the controversial invasion of Afghanistan.

Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007) was the inaugural democratically elected President of Russia, serving from 1991 to 1999. His ascent in politics began within the Communist Party, and he was appointed as the Mayor of Moscow by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985. However, Yeltsin's perspective diverged from Gorbachev's, leading him to depart from the Communist Party. In 1991, he assumed a pivotal role in spearheading protests against the Soviet regime, contributing significantly to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Yeltsin's leadership, while credited with the downfall of the Soviet system, also faced criticism for the hardships experienced by Russians during their transition from communism to capitalism (Shock therapy).

Nikita Khrushchev, born in 1894 and leading the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, is known for his denunciation of Stalin's leadership style and the introduction of certain reforms in 1956.
He advocated the idea of "peaceful coexistence" with the Western powers and played key roles in suppressing a popular rebellion in Hungary and the Cuban missile crisis.