Why Did the Cold War End:Four Interpretive Approaches and Debates in Western Academia
The conclusion of the East-West Cold War in 1991 has sparked extensive scholarly inquiry,yielding diverse interpretations regarding its causes.This article delineates four interpretive frameworks prevalent in Western academia:first,examine the role of material factors,such as the decline of Soviet power and the impact of technological advancements on this historical trajectory;second,explore the shift of ideological paradigms and their influence on Soviet leadership and Eastern European countries;third,underscore the pivotal contributions of key historical figures to the Cold War's conclusion;and fourth,offer insights from the vantage point of alternative globalization,portraying Eastern European countries as pivotal actors in shaping a globally interconnected world.The upheavals in Eastern Europe in 1989 are seen as manifestations of local elites'strategic choices within the broader context of globalization.This study emphasizes the need to consider not only individual actors but also long-term economic,social,and ideological changes when analyzing the Cold War's conclusion and changes in international system in the late 1980s and early 1990s.It contends that no single policy or historical figure dominated and determined the conclusion of the Cold War.
Conclusion of the Cold WarMaterial FactorsIdeologyHistorical FiguresAlternative Globalization
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