The era of stagnation is a period of time in the history of the Soviet Union that lasted from the mid-1960s until the 1980s. During this time, the country experienced a lot of economic, social, and political problems that made it difficult for people to live their lives happily and prosperously.
To put it simply, imagine you're playing with blocks and building a tower. However, you suddenly realize that the blocks don't fit together very well, and the tower is wobbly and unstable. No matter how hard you try, you can't seem to make it stand up straight. This is kind of what was happening in the Soviet Union during the era of stagnation.
One big reason for this was the leadership of the country. The ruler of the Soviet Union at the time was Leonid Brezhnev, and he wasn't doing a great job of running things. There was a lot of corruption and inefficiency in the government, which meant that important decisions weren't being made and resources were being wasted.
As a result, the economy wasn't doing very well. People didn't have access to a lot of the things they needed or wanted, like food, clothes, and housing. There were long lines and shortages for basic goods, and it was hard for people to find jobs or make a good living.
On top of that, there were a lot of social problems as well. People didn't have a lot of freedom to express themselves or do what they wanted, and there was a lot of censorship and propaganda from the government. This made it hard for people to trust each other or feel like they were part of a happy and healthy society.
Overall, the era of stagnation was a time of difficulty and struggle for the people of the Soviet Union. It was a time when things weren't working very well, and everyone was trying to figure out how to make things better. Eventually, the country would undergo some big changes and transitions that would lead to a brighter future, but during the era of stagnation, things were definitely tough.