Final answer:
After the Cold War, the number of communist countries has dwindled, with China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea remaining. The Soviet Union's collapse was driven by internal reforms and external pressures, leading to a global decline in communism.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Cold War period, many nations were part of the communist bloc. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the number of communist countries decreased significantly. Now, only a few countries remain communist, including the People's Republic of China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea.
The transition from communism began in the 1980s, as the Soviet Union struggled with internal challenges and external pressures. Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness) led to greater economic and political freedom within the USSR, ultimately contributing to its collapse. Consequently, the former Eastern Bloc countries transitioned to varying forms of government, many embracing democratic reforms and market economies.
Despite the global decline in communism, the remaining communist nations have each taken different approaches to governance and economic policy. For example, China has implemented significant capitalist economic reforms under leaders like Deng Xiaoping, while maintaining strict single-party control. In contrast, countries like Cuba and North Korea have made fewer economic reforms and remain more closely aligned with traditional communist principles.