Question

What was the role of Mikhail Gorbachev in the disintegration of Soviet Union ?

Hint:

When discussing Gorbachev, always mention and briefly explain 'Glasnost' and 'Perestroika'. Remember that his intention was to reform, not destroy, the USSR. The key point is that the forces he unleashed were too powerful for him to control.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, initiated a series of reforms intended to revitalize the stagnant communist system. However, his policies unintentionally accelerated the process that led to the USSR's collapse in 1991. His role is thus paradoxical: he tried to save the system but ended up presiding over its dissolution.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Gorbachev's role in the disintegration can be understood through his two signature policies:
1. Glasnost (Openness): This policy aimed at increasing transparency and freedom of expression. Gorbachev allowed greater freedom for the media and public criticism of the government.
Impact: Instead of just reforming the system, Glasnost exposed its deep-seated corruption, economic failures, and historical atrocities (like Stalin's purges). This led to a loss of faith in the Communist Party and fueled popular discontent. It also allowed long-suppressed nationalist sentiments in the various Soviet republics (like Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia) to surface, leading to demands for independence.
2. Perestroika (Restructuring): This was a policy of economic restructuring aimed at introducing quasi-market mechanisms into the centrally planned command economy. The goal was to improve efficiency and productivity.
Impact: The economic reforms were poorly implemented and created chaos. They dismantled the old command system without effectively replacing it, leading to economic instability, inflation, and severe shortages of goods. This worsened the economic crisis and further eroded public support for the government.
3. Weakening of Control: Gorbachev also decided not to use force to suppress pro-democracy movements in Eastern Europe. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 signaled that the USSR would no longer prop up communist regimes in its satellite states. This emboldened nationalist movements within the Soviet Union itself.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Mikhail Gorbachev's role was pivotal but unintentional in the Soviet disintegration. His reforms of Glasnost and Perestroika, designed to save Soviet communism, instead exposed its fundamental weaknesses, unleashed powerful nationalist forces, and worsened the economic crisis, ultimately leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union.