I figured I’d ask here since you comrades know history and are on talking terms with reality, unlike a lot of stuff that is available to read online. I am really looking for a short answer, although I know there were many factors playing out over a long long time. Just the bullet points, if you please.
Edit: Thank you for these awesome answers, a lot of exactly what I was looking for and a lot of new directions to explore. Y’all really are the dope-ass bear B-)
Economic structural critiques, which are many, are kinda not the main issue (structural, but not causative). Those who will then lead nationalist projects outside of ussr where joining party as late as 1989, despite already existing nationalist parties, they didn’t see collapse of ussr as inevitable even then (those people are obv careerist and not communists as evidenced by later careers).
so that’s why i think gorbie idiocy is very significant cause, it’s not like one man launching avalanche with a sound, it’s like one man spreading snow around for 10 years while constantly shouting. Yes, economy was kinda meh-meh, but it wasn’t like terrible 10% contraction in a year (which lots of governments survive even now) basket case.