Mongolia in the late 1980s: the beginning of post-socialist transformation

The paper presents an overview of the history of Mongolia in the period of the late socialism. The combination of political, economic, social problems became the base of the socialist system crisis that caused the need for reforms in the country. Strengthening of the crisis phenomena in the economic sphere led to demands for political change. The author emphasizes that similar processes took place in the USSR and Eastern Europe. The initiators of political demands were young Mongolian intellectuals, educated in the USSR and Eastern Europe. In addition, the normalization of relations between Moscow and Beijing meant the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of Mongolia and the weakening an economic assistance to Ulan-Bator. These changes prompted Mongolian leaders to a more open and diversified foreign policy. The intensification of these ties entailed liberalization of the political regime of the MPR and stimulated reforms in the economy. Thus the reforms in Mongolia were heavily influenced from outside.