The story of the collapse of the USSR and of the newly independent states that have risen on its ruins is still shrouded in mystery, because the actual cause of the rapid breakdown of the strong power is not quite comprehensible. Statements to the effect that the underlying cause was an inefficient economy do not seem convincing, as even during the so-called stagnation period, the annual gross national product (GNP) growth rate had been 2–3 percent, which looks satisfactory, especially taking into account the overall production slump experienced by all of the republics after 1991.