Sarah Paine – Why Russia Lost the Cold War

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Dec 19, 2025

Sarah Paine, a political scientist and historian specializing in Russian affairs, discusses the multifaceted reasons behind the Soviet Union’s collapse. She explores Reagan's military strategies, the impact of the Helsinki Accords on Eastern Bloc dissidents, and the Sino-Soviet split. Paine highlights internal issues like economic failures and political reforms under Gorbachev. She also delves into Boris Yeltsin's pivotal role in the dissolution of the USSR. With a nod to current geopolitical tensions, she offers insights on navigating potential new conflicts.

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INSIGHT

Arms Race Strained The Soviet Economy

Ronald Reagan's military buildup and rhetoric pressured the USSR but didn't alone cause collapse.
Soviet defense spending and attempts to match U.S. spending exposed deep economic strain.

INSIGHT

Human Rights Clauses Undermined Legitimacy

The Helsinki Accords' human-rights clauses empowered dissidents across the Eastern Bloc.
Carter's human-rights emphasis helped delegitimize communist rule from within.

INSIGHT

China Pivot Created A Costly Soviet Front

Nixon's opening to China changed strategic alignments and forced Soviet overcommitment on a new border.
Sino-Soviet hostility created another costly front the USSR had to defend.

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This is the final episode of the Sarah Paine lecture series, and it’s probably my favorite one. Sarah gives a “tour of the arguments” on what ultimately led to the Soviet Union’s collapse, diving into the role of the US, the Sino-Soviet border conflict, the oil bust, ethnic rebellions and even the Roman Catholic Church. As she points out, this is all particularly interesting as we find ourselves potentially at the beginning of another Cold War.

As we wrap up this lecture series, I want to take a moment to thank Sarah for doing this with me. It has been such a pleasure.

If you want more of her scholarship, I highly recommend checking out the books she’s written. You can find them here.

Watch on YouTube; read the transcript.