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-)
Corruption plays a major role as well. Leaders after Stalin didn’t take necessary steps to suppress corruption which slowly ate away the society. The lack of focus on the light industry and overspending on the military played a role as well.
Plus
allowed western capital to flow in without restrictions(unlike China) and they basically bought the country.