18. The Cold War ends and republics re-emerge
Individuals & institutions
Mikhail Gorbachev, Lech Wałęsa, Václav Havel
Events & dates
The Berlin Wall opened in November 1989. Eastern European communist governments lost power, and the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991.
Consequences & historical significance
Many states adopted competitive elections and market reforms; transitions also brought unemployment, inequality and institutional instability.