How did the soviet economy contribute the the end of the cold war in the late twentieth century?

The Soviet economy, burdened by inefficiencies, excessive military spending, and a lack of consumer goods, struggled to compete with the more dynamic capitalist economies of the West. Economic stagnation led to social unrest and weakened the government's legitimacy, making it difficult for the Soviet leadership to maintain control. As the U.S. adopted a strategy of economic and military pressure, including arms races and support for anti-communist movements, the Soviet Union found itself unable to sustain its influence. Ultimately, the economic decline contributed to the reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, which inadvertently accelerated the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the end of the Cold War.