Effect of Gorbachev's Glasnost and Perestroika reforms was to destroy rather than to rebuild Soviet society.' Discuss. Mikhail Gorbachev grew up with the new optimism

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∙        ‘The effect of Gorbachev’s Glasnost and Perestroika reforms was to destroy rather than to rebuild Soviet society.’ Discuss.

Mikhail Gorbachev grew up with the new optimism and desire for improvement under Khrushchev. He quickly worked his way up the political ladder, becoming Party secretary for agriculture in the CPSU in 1978. In 1980, he became a member of the Politburo and, after a period of uncertainty during which time Andropov and Chernekov followed in quick succession, Gorbachev was appointed head of the Party and the country in March 1985. He was the seventh leader of the CPSU and many viewed him as a new and dynamic leader who was ready and willing to make changes. He was viewed as a ‘frontier’ leader, i.e. his frontier lay between the almost defunct Soviet regime and an unknown future. He is considered as being on of the most notable statesman in twentieth century Russian history, second only to Lenin. Almost immediately, Gorbachev set about reforming the Soviet Union. He had had his reform agenda set out as early as December 1984, however the details were vague.

Perestroika, which translates to English as restructuring, was Gorbachev’s plan for all areas of Soviet society, namely the economy. The day before Gorbachev became General Secretary, he is quoted as saying, “We can’t go on living like this any more.” People had been saying the same for years, however Gorbachev really meant it and was not afraid to do something about it. This said however, during his first few days as General Secretary, not much seemed to change and Gorbachev appeared to be following in the footsteps of his predecessors. This changed on 15th March 1985. He began his perestroika with the instructions he gave he Party Committee. He told them there was no need to devise a plan of measures to accompany his speech at the Plenum, a practice which was considered mandatory. With reference to a call he had taken that day regarding a group of activists in Moscow who had threatened demonstrations in connection with implementing the instructions of the General Secretary, he told them- “I don’t think the ‘instructions and arguments of the General Secretary’ should be mentioned in the agendas of our plenums.” He also denied permission for his greetings to be sent to the Estonian SSR when the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation visited them to present the republic with the Red Banner. The Secretaries were bewildered by this. He appeared to be denying himself an important ritual part of what was due to him at the top of the hierarchal pyramid. But Gorbachev knew that by not complying with such small but meaningful gestures would be noticed at all levels of the Party and seen as an omen of possible change. Gorbachev felt he must change the Leninist system and begin using the terms that soon became his hallmark- Perestroika and Glasnost (openness). This essay will discuss the glasnost and perestroika reforms implemented by Gorbachev, and the implications of these.

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Gorbachev’s first active step in his glasnost and perestroika reforms was on the 4th April 1985. He was discussing the forthcoming plenum on 23rd April. He asked Politburo members to stay behind after a ‘meeting.’ In Gorbachev’s March plenum, he had spoken about his plans to reform the Soviet regime. This was a gesture of glasnost and hinted to the public about the shape of things to come. He told the Politburo at the meeting that there had been an “unexpectedly big response in the country… need to struggle systematically against ostentation, arrogance, eulogies and boot-licking.” Gorbachev believed there ought to ...

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