LOL.. Now it is Chinese who landed a working Mars rover ahead of others beside US. Something which Svpoviet cant even achieve in their lifetime. Tide has change. Its Chinese leading the innovation. Eat your humble pie!lot of circle jerk among happy Chinese in the thread ..
just to burst few bubbles around how USSR was not an economic and science power --
Soviet economy in 1989 was $2.66 trillion. Inflation adjusted number will be 6 trillion now, assuming it does not grow for 30 years
Per capita income was $5800 in 1989. it will be $13000 per capita in 2021, inflation adjusted. still higher that current china ..
On scientific achievements, they were among the most innovative countries. they send rocket to space and people into orbit, when Xi was still in his diapers..
Its leadership is not strong. Soviet will was cracked by the American capitalism. They need someone like Stalin.Soviet Union intitially started very well. It bought in various nationalities with respect and one should not discount its stunning vicotry against nazis without which slavs would have been literally slaves. even now Russia which inherited soviet union acts like its own boss. They may not be as wealthy as western nations but they are no one's door mat.
Having said that one reason why it collapsed is increasing imposition of russian on other nationalities and reduction of spirit of solidarity. This led to disillusion in other countries.
Soviet union did not collapse in to some anarchy. it just dissolved in to basic language based nationalities.