Study this source. Source C 'In January 1968, Alexander Dubcek replaced Antonin Novotny as leader of Czechoslovakia. Dubcek introduced reforms that he descr...

Source analysis

Source C is from a secondary school textbook published in 2010, describing Dubcek's reforms during the Prague Spring of 1968. It outlines his specific changes: relaxing censorship, allowing freedom of speech, and permitting non-communist political clubs. Crucially, the source notes that Dubcek insisted he was 'not abandoning communism or leaving the Warsaw Pact,' yet the Soviet leadership under Brezhnev 'grew increasingly alarmed.' This suggests the USSR could not tolerate even moderate liberalisation within the communist system. As a textbook, the source offers a simplified but broadly accurate overview, though it lacks the depth of a specialist study.

Contextual knowledge

The source partly proves the claim. In August 1968, approximately 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia, ending the Prague Spring by force. The Brezhnev Doctrine, announced afterwards, stated that the USSR had the right to intervene in any socialist country where communism was under threat. This confirmed that political liberalisation, even within a communist framework, was unacceptable to Moscow.

However, the claim that the USSR would not tolerate 'any' reform is too absolute. Janos Kadar in Hungary introduced limited economic reforms (sometimes called 'goulash communism') in the 1960s without provoking invasion. The key distinction was between economic reforms, which the USSR sometimes tolerated, and political reforms that threatened the Communist Party's monopoly on power, which the USSR consistently crushed. The source focuses only on Czechoslovakia and cannot prove a universal rule.

Mark scheme (Levels of Response) [8 marks]

• Level 1 [1-3 marks]: Simple agreement or disagreement. For example, 'The source proves the USSR did not like reform because Brezhnev was alarmed.' No evaluation or development.
• Level 2 [4-6 marks]: Uses source details to evaluate the claim. Notes that even moderate reforms alarmed Moscow despite Dubcek's reassurances. May consider the source's limitations as a textbook or note that it covers only one country.
• Level 3 [7-8 marks]: Evaluates using source details AND own knowledge. Distinguishes between political reforms (which the USSR crushed, as in Czechoslovakia 1968 and Hungary 1956) and economic reforms (which were sometimes tolerated, as in Kadar's Hungary). Uses the Brezhnev Doctrine to explain the USSR's position. Recognises that the source supports the claim in relation to political reform but does not prove the USSR opposed all reform of any kind.

Exam reminder: When a question asks 'how far does this source prove,' pay attention to absolute words like 'any' or 'all.' Sources that prove a general trend may not prove a universal rule. Look for counter-examples from your own knowledge that qualify the claim.