Socialist Republic of Romania (1947–1989): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox country|name=Romanian People's Republic<br />{{small|(1947&ndash;1965)}}<br />{{small|Republica Populară Romînă|paren=omit}}<hr>Socialist Republic of Romania<br />{{small|(1965&ndash;1989)}}<br />{{small|Republica Socialistă România|paren=omit}}|image_flag=Flag of Romania (1965–1989).png|life_span=1947&ndash;1989|motto=''Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă!''|englishmotto=("Proletarians of all countries, unite!")|national_anthem=''Zdrobite Cătușe'' (1948&ndash;1953)<br />''Te slăvim, Românie'' (1953&ndash;1977)<br />''Trei Culori'' (1977&ndash;1989)|image_map=Map of the Socialist Republic of Romania.png|image_coat=Coat of arms of SR Romania.png|capital=Bucharest|official_languages=Romanian|mode_of_production=[[Socialism]]|government_type=Unitary [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninist]] [[socialist republic]]|title_leader=General Secretary|year_leader1=1944-1954|leader1=[[Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej]]|year_leader2=1954-1955|leader2=[[Gheorghe Apostol]]|year_leader3=1955-1965|leader3=Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej|year_leader4=1965-1989|leader4=[[Nicolae Ceaușescu]]|title_representative=Head of State|year_representative1=1947-1952 (first)|representative1=[[Constantin Ion Parhon]]|year_representative2=1967-1989 (last)|representative2=Nicolae Ceaușescu|title_deputy=President of the Council of Ministers|year_deputy1=1947-1952 (first)|deputy1=[[Petru Groza]]|year_deputy2=1982-1989 (last)|deputy2=[[Constantin Dăscălescu]]|legislature=[[Grand National Assembly (Romania)|Grand National Assembly]] (Marea Adunare Națională)|established_event1=Proclamation of the Republic|era=[[Cold War]]|established_date1=30 December 1947|established_event2=First Constitution|established_date2=13 April 1948|established_event3=Second Constitution|established_date3=24 September 1952|established_event4=Third Constitution|established_date4=21 August 1965|established_event5=''De facto'' disestablished|established_date5=27 December 1989|established_event6=''De jure'' disestablished|established_date6=8 December 1991|area_km2=238,397|population_estimate=23,151,564|population_estimate_year=1989|population_density_km2=97.11 per|labour_force=10.69 million (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|labour_occupation=34% industry, 28% agriculture, 38% other<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal=$79.8 billion (1990 US Dollars)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal_per_capita=$3,445 (1990 US Dollars)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal_year=1989|export=$11.5 billion<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|export_commodities=Machinery and equipment (34.7%), fuels, minerals and metals (24.7%), manufactured consumer goods (16.9%), agricultural materials and forestry products (11.9%), other (11.6%) (1986)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|export_year=1988|export_partners=[[USSR]] (27%), Eastern Europe (23%), EC (15%), [[US]] (5%), [[China]] (4%) (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import=$8.75 billion<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import_commodities=Fuels, minerals, and metals (51.0%), machinery and equipment (26.7%), agricultural and forestry products (11.0%), manufactured consumer goods (4.2%) (1986)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import_year=1988|import_partners=Socialist states (60%), non-socialist states  
{{Infobox country|name=Romanian People's Republic<br />{{small|(1947&ndash;1965)}}<br />{{small|Republica Populară Romînă|paren=omit}}<hr>Socialist Republic of Romania<br />{{small|(1965&ndash;1989)}}<br />{{small|Republica Socialistă România|paren=omit}}|image_flag=Flag of Romania (1965–1989).png|life_span=1947&ndash;1989|motto=''Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă!''|englishmotto=("Proletarians of all countries, unite!")|national_anthem=''Zdrobite Cătușe'' (1948&ndash;1953)<br />''Te slăvim, Românie'' (1953&ndash;1977)<br />''Trei Culori'' (1977&ndash;1989)|image_map=Map of the Socialist Republic of Romania.png|image_coat=Coat of arms of SR Romania.png|capital=Bucharest|official_languages=Romanian|mode_of_production=[[Socialism]]|government_type=Unitary [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninist]] [[socialist republic]]|title_leader=General Secretary|year_leader1=1944-1954|leader1=[[Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej]]|year_leader2=1954-1955|leader2=[[Gheorghe Apostol]]|year_leader3=1955-1965|leader3=Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej|year_leader4=1965-1989|leader4=[[Nicolae Ceaușescu]]|title_representative=Head of State|year_representative1=1947-1952 (first)|representative1=[[Constantin Ion Parhon]]|year_representative2=1967-1989 (last)|representative2=Nicolae Ceaușescu|title_deputy=President of the Council of Ministers|year_deputy1=1947-1952 (first)|deputy1=[[Petru Groza]]|year_deputy2=1982-1989 (last)|deputy2=[[Constantin Dăscălescu]]|legislature=[[Grand National Assembly (Romania)|Grand National Assembly]] (Marea Adunare Națională)|established_event1=Proclamation of the Republic|era=[[Cold War]]|established_date1=30 December 1947|established_event2=First Constitution|established_date2=13 April 1948|established_event3=Second Constitution|established_date3=24 September 1952|established_event4=Third Constitution|established_date4=21 August 1965|established_event5=''De facto'' disestablished|established_date5=27 December 1989|established_event6=''De jure'' disestablished|established_date6=8 December 1991|area_km2=238,397|population_estimate=23,151,564|population_estimate_year=1989|population_density_km2=97.11 per|labour_force=10.69 million (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|labour_occupation=34% industry, 28% agriculture, 38% other<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal=$151.3 billion (1989 US Dollars)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1989">CIA World Factbook (1989). ''[https://theodora.com/wfb1989/romania/romania_economy.html Romania – World Factbook (theodora.com)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal_per_capita=$6,570 (1989 US Dollars)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1989">CIA World Factbook (1989). ''[https://theodora.com/wfb1989/romania/romania_economy.html Romania – World Factbook (theodora.com)]''</ref>|GDP_nominal_year=1988|export=$11.5 billion<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|export_commodities=Machinery and equipment (34.7%), fuels, minerals and metals (24.7%), manufactured consumer goods (16.9%), agricultural materials and forestry products (11.9%), other (11.6%) (1986)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|export_year=1988|export_partners=[[USSR]] (27%), Eastern Europe (23%), EC (15%), [[US]] (5%), [[China]] (4%) (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import=$8.75 billion<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import_commodities=Fuels, minerals, and metals (51.0%), machinery and equipment (26.7%), agricultural and forestry products (11.0%), manufactured consumer goods (4.2%) (1986)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|import_year=1988|import_partners=Socialist states (60%), non-socialist states  
(40%) (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|external_debt=None (1989)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|HDI_year=1990 report|HDI=0.863<ref>[http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/219/hdr_1990_en_complete_nostats.pdf Human Development Report 1990, p. 111]</ref>|currency=Romanian Leu|calling_code=+40|today=[[Romania]]}}
(40%) (1987)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|external_debt=None (1989)<ref name="CIA-factbook-1990">CIA World Factbook (1990). ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_Factbook_(1990)/Romania Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)]''</ref>|HDI_year=1990 report|HDI=0.863<ref>[http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/219/hdr_1990_en_complete_nostats.pdf Human Development Report 1990, p. 111]</ref>|currency=Romanian Leu|calling_code=+40|today=[[Romania]]}}
The '''Socialist Republic of Romania''' (Romanian: ''Republica Socialistă România'', '''RSR''') was a [[socialist state]] that existed from December 1947 to December 1989. The [[Marxist-Leninist]] government ruled until 1989, when the Romanian leader [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]] was overthrown and the government replaced with one aligned with [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|Western capitalist]] interests.
The '''Socialist Republic of Romania''' (Romanian: ''Republica Socialistă România'', '''RSR''') was a [[socialist state]] that existed from December 1947 to December 1989. The [[Marxist-Leninist]] government ruled until 1989, when the Romanian leader [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]] was overthrown and the government replaced with one aligned with [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|Western capitalist]] interests.

Revision as of 12:17, 30 September 2023

Romanian People's Republic
(1947–1965)
Republica Populară Romînă
Socialist Republic of Romania
(1965–1989)
Republica Socialistă România
1947–1989
Flag of Romanian People's Republic (1947–1965) Republica Populară Romînă Socialist Republic of Romania (1965–1989) Republica Socialistă România
Flag
Coat of arms of Romanian People's Republic (1947–1965) Republica Populară Romînă Socialist Republic of Romania (1965–1989) Republica Socialistă România
Coat of arms
Motto: Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă!
("Proletarians of all countries, unite!")
Anthem: Zdrobite Cătușe (1948–1953)
Te slăvim, Românie (1953–1977)
Trei Culori (1977–1989)
Location of Romanian People's Republic (1947–1965) Republica Populară Romînă Socialist Republic of Romania (1965–1989) Republica Socialistă România
CapitalBucharest
Official languagesRomanian
Dominant mode of productionSocialism
GovernmentUnitary Marxist-Leninist socialist republic
General Secretary 
• 1944-1954
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
• 1954-1955
Gheorghe Apostol
• 1955-1965
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
• 1965-1989
Nicolae Ceaușescu
Head of State 
• 1947-1952 (first)
Constantin Ion Parhon
• 1967-1989 (last)
Nicolae Ceaușescu
President of the Council of Ministers 
• 1947-1952 (first)
Petru Groza
• 1982-1989 (last)
Constantin Dăscălescu
LegislatureGrand National Assembly (Marea Adunare Națională)
History
• Proclamation of the Republic
30 December 1947
• First Constitution
13 April 1948
• Second Constitution
24 September 1952
• Third Constitution
21 August 1965
• De facto disestablished
27 December 1989
• De jure disestablished
8 December 1991
Area
• Total
238,397 km²
Population
• 1989 estimate
23,151,564
• Density
97.11 per km²
Labour
• Labour force
10.69 million (1987)[1]
• Occupation
34% industry, 28% agriculture, 38% other[1]
GDP (nominal)1988 estimate
• Total
$151.3 billion (1989 US Dollars)[2]
• Per capita
$6,570 (1989 US Dollars)[2]
Exports1988 estimate
• Value
$11.5 billion[1]
• Commodities
Machinery and equipment (34.7%), fuels, minerals and metals (24.7%), manufactured consumer goods (16.9%), agricultural materials and forestry products (11.9%), other (11.6%) (1986)[1]
• Partners
USSR (27%), Eastern Europe (23%), EC (15%), US (5%), China (4%) (1987)[1]
Imports1988 estimate
• Value
$8.75 billion[1]
• Commodities
Fuels, minerals, and metals (51.0%), machinery and equipment (26.7%), agricultural and forestry products (11.0%), manufactured consumer goods (4.2%) (1986)[1]
• Partners
Socialist states (60%), non-socialist states (40%) (1987)[1]
External debtNone (1989)[1]
HDI (1990 report)0.863[3]
CurrencyRomanian Leu
Calling code+40
Today part ofRomania

The Socialist Republic of Romania (Romanian: Republica Socialistă România, RSR) was a socialist state that existed from December 1947 to December 1989. The Marxist-Leninist government ruled until 1989, when the Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu was overthrown and the government replaced with one aligned with Western capitalist interests.

Names

  • Romanian People's Republic (Republica Populară Română, RPR) (1947–1953; 1964–1965)
  • Romanian People's Republic (Republica Populară Romînă, RPR) (1953–1964)
  • Socialist Republic of Romania (Republica Socialistă România, RSR) (1965–1989)

History

August 1944 coup d'état

On the night of the 13–14 June 1944, representatives of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) presented their plan for the removal of fascist leader Ion Antonescu from power to the representatives of the King.

The proposed plan would have King Michael order Antonescu to sign an armistice with the Allies and, if he refused, have him arrested on the spot.

The coup was carried out on 23 August 1944, following the plan proposed by the PCR. After an hour-long discussion with the King, Antonescu refused to sign the armistice, and was arrested by a colonel and four soldiers. Antonescu was executed two years later, on 1 June 1946.

On the day of Antonescu's arrest, the Romanian army switched sides and began fighting against the Nazis along with the Soviet Union.[4] Following this, a government formed by the National Democratic Front (FND; consisting of the Communist Party, as well as the National Liberal Party (PNL), the National Peasants' Party (PNȚ) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD)) would take power.[5]

Antonescu's execution at Jilava
"Everything for the front, everything for victory - The Patriotic Defence" An illustration issued by the PCR, calling the population to arms.

Socialist rule

Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej

In 1946, Romania held its largest election ever, with 4.77 million people voting for the Communist-led Bloc of Democratic Parties (BPD), formerly the National Democratic Front.[6] The new government forced King Michael to abdicate. In 1948, the PCR and PSD merged to form the Romanian Workers' Party (PMR), led by Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. The country began an electrification plan and confiscated farmland, mansions, and castles from the nobility. Under socialism, industrial output increased by more than seven times and the life expectancy rose by 30 years. By 1980, the socialist government had built 4.6 million houses.

Romania joined the Warsaw Pact in 1955. With Chinese support, it negotiated the removal of Soviet soldiers from Romania and was neutral during the Sino-Soviet Split.

Nicolae Ceaușescu

Gheorghiu-Dej died in 1965 and Nicolae Ceaușescu succeeded him as General Secretary. Ceaușescu ran the country on a platform of Romanian nationalism, wanting to make Romania a world power, and sought out Western financial aid from institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. In the 1980s, Romania had to ration electricity and food due to IMF austerity measures.[4]

Counter-revolution

In April 1989, Romania finished paying its debt to the IMF and banned taking any further loans from the West. On 21 December 1989, Ceaușescu announced he would raise wages and pensions.[4]

In December 1989, protestors attacked police and began a brief civil war that overthrew the socialist government of Romania. Hundreds of police and soldiers were killed as well as 142 protestors. The CIA-backed Western media claimed that Romania killed over 60,000 peaceful protestors.[7]

Economy

Industry

The average annual increase in gross output during the years 1951–1974 was 13%. The group of industries producing means of production is developing at a faster pace. During the years of people's power in the field of heavy industry, such industries as machine tool building, tractor and automobile construction, large-tonnage shipbuilding, production of electric diesel locomotives, oil, energy, mining, chemical and other production and technological equipment, electronics industry, as well as petrochemicals, etc. were created.[8]

The construction materials industry developed across the board. The production of consumer goods also increased significantly, satisfying the ever-increasing demand of the population. Industrial development increased year after year. Modern technology was introduced into all sectors of the economy. An important trend in industrial development was the increasing degree of development and use of the country's natural resources. As a result, serious structural changes occurred in industry:[8]

Industries by sector (1974)
Industry Gross production (%) Workforce (%)
Electricity generation 2.7 1.5
Fuel production 3.9 3.8
Oil production 2.3 1.4
Ferrous metallurgy 7.7 3.3
Non-ferrous metallurgy 2.7 2.7
Mechanical engineering 30.5 31.0
Chemicals 11.2 6.7
Construction materials 3.1 4.5
Forestry and woodworking 5.0 11.7
Pulp and paper 1.2 1.3
Textiles 7.3 12.0
Sewing 5.2 6.4
Leather and footwear 1.9 4.0
Foodstuffs 14.2 8.0
Other 1.1 1.7
Source: Great Soviet Encyclopedia - Romania[8]
Production of main industrial products (1938­–1974)
Industrial Product 1938 1950 1960 1974
Electricity (billions of kWh) 1.1 2.1 7.7 49.1
Coal (millions of tons) 2.8 3.9 8.2 29.2
Lignite (millions of tons) 0.3 0.8 3.1 20.0
Oil (millions of tons) 6.6 5.0 11.5 14.5
Natural Gas (billions of m3) 2.0 3.4 10.3 30.1
Steel (millions of tons) 0.3 0.6 1.8 8.8
Aluminium (thousands of tons) – – – 187
Sulfuric Acid (thousands of tons) 44 52 226 1358
Fertilizers (thousands of tons) – 0.6 71 1410
Plastics and resins (thousands of tons) – 0.4 12.4 283
Chemical fibers (thousands of tons) 0.9 2.3 4.1 159

(including yarn)

Synthetic fibers (thousands of tons) – – 0.9 96
Trucks (thousands of units) – – 8.4 31.5
Passenger cars (thousands of units) – – 1.2 67.5
Tractors (thousands of units) – 3.5 17.1 44.6
Metalworking machines (thousands of units) – – 4.4 24.8
Lumber (millions of m3) 2.2 3.6 3.9 4.8
Cement (millions of tons) 0.5 1.0 3.1 11.2
Cotton fabrics (millions of m2) 104 148 248 612
Sugar (thousands of tons) 95 87 391 516
Vegetable oils (thousands of tons) 18 36 118 332
Canned fruits and vegetables (thousands of tons) 2.4 33 75 504
Source: Great Soviet Encyclopedia - Romania[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 CIA World Factbook (1990). Romania – World Factbook (Wikisource)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 CIA World Factbook (1989). Romania – World Factbook (theodora.com)
  3. ↑ Human Development Report 1990, p. 111
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Patricia Gorky (2019-12-26). "Romania: 30 years removed from socialism" Liberation News. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  5. ↑ Silviu Brucan (1993). The Wasted Generation: Memoirs of the Romanian Journey from Capitalism to Socialism and Back (pp. 20-21). Westview Press.
  6. ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook (pp. 1603-1610). ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  7. ↑ Austin Murphy (2000). The Triumph of Evil: 'The Documented Facts about Eastern Europe and Communism: A Refutation of Popular Myths about the True Good Guys' (p. 74). [PDF] Fucecchio, Italy: European Press Academic Publishing. ISBN 8883980026
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Great Soviet Encyclopedia: 'Romania'.
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