GORBACHEV, PERESTROIKA AND GLASNOST
When Gorbachev came to power in 1985, he knew that the USSR had too many problems that could not be ignored. He told his wife that "things cannot go on as they are". He immediately announced three reform initiatives: Perestroika, Glasnost and Uskorenie.
Perestroika referred to (in the first instance) structural reform of the economy. This later also came to include political reform.
Glasnost referred to openness, specifically lifting restrictions on freedoms of speech and information
Uskorenie referred to acceleration
Gorbachev quickly became aware that his reforms were more ambitious than what many of the politburo were prepared to entertain and that more drastic political reforms were required in order for his proposals to be pushed through.
What became known as Perestroika I failed because of often quite passive resistance from local party officials who did not want to give up their privileges.
Additionally, the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 was a watershed moment for Glasnost. It became clear that Soviet tendencies to hide or cover-up problems had contributed to the severity of the crisis and revealed a need for greater transparency.
In 1987, Gorbachev launched Perestroika II, which apart from allowing state enterprises to enter the free market, introduced elements of democracy into the Soviet political system. For example:
These reforms, as well as Glasnost, created forces of nationalism and demands for further reform within the USSR. More importantly, the reforms allowed for the creation of other political parties and destroyed the single-party state.
After 70-plus years of communism, Soviet citizens were finally allowed to speak up on their system of government and began to reject it. Georgia was the first Soviet republic to declare independence from the USSR and one by one, each Soviet republic followed their lead. The biggest blow to the USSR was when Russia declared independence.
Economically, Gorbachev's reforms created more problems than they solved as forces of capitalism were unleashed. For the first time, authorities had to deal with inflation, unemployment, food shortages and industrial action.
In a last ditch attempt to keep the USSR, hard-line Communists staged a coup d'etat in August 1991 and placed Gorbachev under house arrest. Boris Yeltsin, the President of Russia, led people in a peaceful protest in front of the Russian (not Soviet) parliament, gambling that Russian troops would not fire on Russian citizens. Yeltsin was proved to be correct and there was to be no repeat of the Hungarian Uprising and the Prague Spring on the streets of Moscow. The coup failed but the USSR could not be saved. Yeltsin banned the Communist Party in Russia and Gorbachev had to resign as General Secretary of the Communist Party. Four months later, Gorbachev signed legislation that dissolved the USSR.
Perestroika referred to (in the first instance) structural reform of the economy. This later also came to include political reform.
Glasnost referred to openness, specifically lifting restrictions on freedoms of speech and information
Uskorenie referred to acceleration
Gorbachev quickly became aware that his reforms were more ambitious than what many of the politburo were prepared to entertain and that more drastic political reforms were required in order for his proposals to be pushed through.
What became known as Perestroika I failed because of often quite passive resistance from local party officials who did not want to give up their privileges.
Additionally, the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 was a watershed moment for Glasnost. It became clear that Soviet tendencies to hide or cover-up problems had contributed to the severity of the crisis and revealed a need for greater transparency.
In 1987, Gorbachev launched Perestroika II, which apart from allowing state enterprises to enter the free market, introduced elements of democracy into the Soviet political system. For example:
-
Citizens (rather than just party members) were allowed to vote in elections for local soviets
-
The Congress of People's Deputies was created (two thirds of whom were voted for by the people)
- Non-Communist Party candidates could stand for election to the Congress
-
The Congress of People's Deputies contributed members to the Supreme Soviet, which became more like a parliament- sessions were televised
- There were direct elections for important Soviet posts
These reforms, as well as Glasnost, created forces of nationalism and demands for further reform within the USSR. More importantly, the reforms allowed for the creation of other political parties and destroyed the single-party state.
After 70-plus years of communism, Soviet citizens were finally allowed to speak up on their system of government and began to reject it. Georgia was the first Soviet republic to declare independence from the USSR and one by one, each Soviet republic followed their lead. The biggest blow to the USSR was when Russia declared independence.
Economically, Gorbachev's reforms created more problems than they solved as forces of capitalism were unleashed. For the first time, authorities had to deal with inflation, unemployment, food shortages and industrial action.
In a last ditch attempt to keep the USSR, hard-line Communists staged a coup d'etat in August 1991 and placed Gorbachev under house arrest. Boris Yeltsin, the President of Russia, led people in a peaceful protest in front of the Russian (not Soviet) parliament, gambling that Russian troops would not fire on Russian citizens. Yeltsin was proved to be correct and there was to be no repeat of the Hungarian Uprising and the Prague Spring on the streets of Moscow. The coup failed but the USSR could not be saved. Yeltsin banned the Communist Party in Russia and Gorbachev had to resign as General Secretary of the Communist Party. Four months later, Gorbachev signed legislation that dissolved the USSR.
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