IGCSE History Practice Test 2025 - Free IGCSE History Practice Questions and Study Guide

The type of governance that the USSR imposed in Eastern European countries was predominantly communist governments. After World War II, the Soviet Union expanded its influence over Eastern Europe, establishing control over several nations such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and East Germany. The ideology of communism, rooted in Marxist-Leninist principles, emphasized state control over resources, suppression of political dissent, and a one-party system where the Communist Party held absolute power.

These countries underwent significant political and economic changes, transitioning from previous forms of governance to systems characterized by the centralized authority of the communist parties. This included the nationalization of industries, collectivization of agriculture, and the promotion of state-led economic planning, all of which aligned with the broader goals of the Soviet Union to create a buffer zone against perceived Western capitalist threats.

The infrastructure of governance established during this period often involved the suppression of free press, limited civil liberties, and extensive surveillance of the population to maintain control, which were hallmarks of the communist regimes imposed by the USSR in the region.