Eastern Block?

[NorwegianCommunist]

Why is the USSR/Russia refered to as Eastern Block?

I have heard a couple of things.

- Because of all the blocks of buildings that were build (I did research and about 34 million apartments in blocks were build from 1957-1970. Usually 5 story high buildings)

- Because the USSR blocked itself out from the other countries and was self suficiant. (Not sure about this one)


What is it really?

[Rooster]

Because it was a "block" of countries in Eastern Europe.

[norwegianwood90]

It was referred to as the Eastern Bloc (not block). Here, bloc is used as a group of similar entities (for example, consider the concept of a voting bloc). It was also known as the Communist Bloc. Essentially, they were ideologically similar countries.

[ArrowLance]

bloc [blok]

noun;

1. a group of persons, businesses, etc., united for a particular purpose.

2. a group of legislators, usually of both major political parties, who vote together for some particular interest: the farm bloc.

3. a group of nations that share common interests and usually act in concert in international affairs: the Soviet bloc.