Question

What factors forced Gorbachev to reform the Soviet Union? What were its consequences?

Hint:

Remember the twin policies: \textbf{Perestroika} (Economic Restructuring) and \textbf{Glasnost} (Political Openness). While Gorbachev intended them to be a cure for the Soviet Union's problems, they acted as a catalyst that accelerated its demise.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the reasons behind the reform policies initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev after he became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985, and the ultimate outcome of these reforms.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Factors that forced Gorbachev to reform:
By the mid-1980s, the Soviet Union was facing a deep and multi-faceted crisis. The main factors compelling Gorbachev to introduce reforms were:


Economic Stagnation: The centrally planned economy was extremely inefficient. It suffered from chronic shortages of consumer goods, low productivity, and a huge technological gap with the West. The massive spending on the military and the arms race with the US had crippled the civilian economy.

Political Stagnation and Corruption: The Communist Party held a monopoly on power, leading to a system that was authoritarian, unresponsive, and corrupt. The long rule of Leonid Brezhnev was known as the 'era of stagnation'. There was a clear lack of dynamism and accountability in the administration.

Social Apathy and Awareness: The Soviet people were becoming increasingly aware of the prosperity and freedoms in the West. Despite state propaganda, they were discontent with their poor quality of life, lack of freedoms, and the privileges enjoyed by the party elite.

External Pressures: The costly and disastrous war in Afghanistan was draining the USSR's resources and morale. Moreover, the US's strategic initiatives, like the "Star Wars" program, threatened to escalate the arms race to a new technological level that the USSR could not afford.

Gorbachev's Reforms and their Consequences:
To address these issues, Gorbachev introduced two key policies:


Perestroika (Restructuring): Aimed at reforming the stagnant economy by introducing limited market mechanisms, decentralizing control, and allowing some private enterprise.

Glasnost (Openness): Aimed at political reform by allowing greater freedom of speech, expression, and criticism of the government. Gorbachev hoped this would reduce corruption and make the system more accountable.

However, these reforms had unintended and catastrophic consequences:


Rise of Nationalism: Glasnost allowed long-suppressed nationalist feelings in the various Soviet republics (like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine) to come to the surface. This quickly grew into powerful movements demanding independence.

Economic Collapse: Perestroika failed to create a functioning market economy. Instead, it dismantled the old command system, leading to economic chaos, hyperinflation, and a further decline in living standards.

Weakening of the Communist Party: The democratic reforms weakened the absolute control of the Communist Party. An attempted coup by hardline communists in August 1991 failed but fatally damaged Gorbachev's authority and accelerated the disintegration process.

Dissolution of the USSR: The reforms, intended to save the Soviet Union, ended up destroying it. Republic after republic declared independence, and on December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned, formally ending the existence of the Soviet Union.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Gorbachev initiated reforms to tackle deep-seated economic and political stagnation in the Soviet Union. However, his policies of Perestroika and Glasnost inadvertently unleashed nationalist forces and caused economic chaos, leading directly to the collapse and dissolution of the USSR in 1991.