This essay will deal with the question of wether and how the concept of human rights has led to changes in Soviet policies and to the end of the „Cold War“. A special focus will be on the work of the CSCE (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europea) and non-governmental groups (further revered to as NGOs).
After World War II, national leaders had learned that international regimes were not just a domestic matter but could themselves become a menace to world peace. Although, while many human rights are, as Louise Shelley has pointed out, a Western concept and not encouraged or institutionalized by many non-Western countries, these countries were signatories to the United Nations´ convention on human rights. Still their political and social cultures did not conform to many of the provisions expressed in it. This issue of human rights, as it has emerged mainly out of the ideas of the Enlightenment, still remained alien to many of the world´s nations after the War.
As has been pointed out by distinguished historians and as Shelley mentioned, Russia remained 'outside' the Enlightenment. The Soviet Union is the heir of the Russian legal tradition, a culture in which individual rights were consistently subordinated to the state. It is also important to note that Russia was, as Shelley said, never directly exposed to the ideas of the Enlightenment, although some of its values were transmitted via the czars.
Most important to know is that Human rights cannot be imposed on a society. Institutions that foster and nurture human rights must develop in a society itself. This is a gradual process. In societies without such a tradition it is unnatural to expect that such a transformation can occur in the face of a different historical legacy and in the face of other pressing economic and political problems.
Knowing this, the following paper will show how NGOs and Soviet national leaders have tried to establish Human Rights in the USSR and what role the CSCE played in that process.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The CSCE
2.1. CSCE Human Rights concerns
2.2. The CSCE as an Human Rights Regime
3. The Soviet ‘Helsinki Period’
3.1. Pressure Groups and their influence on governments
3.2. The rise and fall of Soviet NGOs (before Gorbachev)
4. The changing face of Human Rights during the Cold War
5. Conclusion
6. Literature
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This study investigates whether and how the concept of human rights influenced Soviet domestic policies and contributed to the end of the Cold War, with a specific focus on the role of the CSCE and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- The impact of the CSCE (Helsinki Accords) on the East-West human rights dialogue.
- The transformation of human rights from a Western concept to a tool of international pressure.
- The rise and activities of Soviet citizen groups and their utilization of international legal frameworks.
- The evolution of the Soviet Union's human rights policy under the Gorbachev era.
Book Excerpt
3.1. Pressure Groups and their influence on governments
Human Rights are, after all, institutional developments. The growth of citizen Human Rights organizations show that the focus of national leaders on Human Rights and significant political changes in the most abusive nations have increased. Human Rights constitute an intellectual and legal problem as well as a political issue of extraordinary concern. During the 1980s, there appears to be a growing consensus in the Western world and in certain socialist societies that Human Rights are definable, should exist and may be an achievable objective.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in the final years of Stalinist rule, a time when mass repression was still institutionalized, seemed for many to be a hypocritical gesture. Moreover, the credibility of Soviet foreign policy suffered from its transparently ideological and opportunistic motives. Soviet commitment to the Helsinki process was called into question by its appalling domestic Human Rights record. But the Human Rights issue has, nevertheless acquired greater prestige and respect in the international arena. It became a concern of many politicians with a mass constituency. The observance of Human Rights itself became a key gauge to the international community of a country´s performance.
Shelley points out that, accepting Human Rights made a country, at the same time as it gains international acceptance, more vulnerable to external pressure.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the core research question regarding the role of human rights in changing Soviet policies and the subsequent end of the Cold War.
2. The CSCE: This section explains the establishment of the CSCE, the Helsinki Accords, and its function as an international regime that introduced human rights into the dialogue between East and West.
2.1. CSCE Human Rights concerns: This chapter details the fundamental provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and the commitment of participating states to international human rights standards.
2.2. The CSCE as an Human Rights Regime: This part analyzes the specific characteristics of the CSCE that distinguished it from traditional international institutions, particularly its political nature and the role of NGO participation.
3. The Soviet ‘Helsinki Period’: This chapter examines the historical timeframe during which the Helsinki Accords influenced Soviet internal and external political dynamics.
3.1. Pressure Groups and their influence on governments: This section highlights the growing importance of citizen organizations as crucial actors in monitoring human rights compliance.
3.2. The rise and fall of Soviet NGOs (before Gorbachev): This chapter documents the formation of independent Soviet groups, their strategies for invoking international law, and their eventual suppression by the Soviet regime.
4. The changing face of Human Rights during the Cold War: This chapter analyzes how human rights policy evolved under Gorbachev and became a central element of perestroika and new foreign policy approaches.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes how the interaction between CSCE norms, transnational pressure, and domestic reform significantly impacted the trajectory of the Cold War.
6. Literature: This section provides a bibliography of the academic sources utilized throughout the research.
Keywords
CSCE, Helsinki Accords, Human Rights, Soviet Union, Cold War, Gorbachev, Perestroika, NGOs, Human Dimension, International Regime, Foreign Policy, Democratization, Compliance, Civil Society, Rule of Law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research?
The work examines the role of human rights in the political landscape of the late Cold War, specifically analyzing how the CSCE and various NGO activities forced changes in Soviet domestic policy.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The paper covers the Helsinki Accords, the evolution of international human rights regimes, the rise of Soviet citizen pressure groups, and the transition of the Soviet state under Mikhail Gorbachev.
What is the central research question?
The primary goal is to determine if and how the introduction of human rights standards into the international dialogue directly contributed to the end of the Cold War.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes historical analysis, focusing on the examination of international accords, regime behavior, and the impact of transnational advocacy on domestic state policies.
What does the main body address?
The main body focuses on the function of the CSCE as an international human rights mechanism and details the struggle between the Soviet regime and dissident citizen groups.
What are the defining keywords of the work?
The work is defined by concepts such as the Helsinki Final Act, perestroika, transnational activism, and the shifting geopolitical status quo of the late 1980s.
How did NGOs interact with the Soviet government?
NGOs in the Soviet Union utilized the Helsinki Accords as a legal framework to document violations and demand state accountability, effectively bridging the gap between Soviet citizens and the international community.
Why was the Helsinki process so significant for the Cold War?
It transformed human rights from a "no-go area" of internal affairs into a subject of legitimate international concern, making it a powerful tool for diplomacy and political reform.
What was Gorbachev's role in this context?
Gorbachev utilized human rights as part of his broader reform strategy (perestroika) to gain international credibility and facilitate domestic economic restructuring.
- Quote paper
- BA of Arts Annalena Schäfer (Author), 2013, The Soviet Union and the CSCE. How Human Rights helped end the Cold War, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/347062
