Notes
Glasnost
The term was interpreted in the west as “openness”
This policy shocked both his people and the west
For the first time since the Tsars a leader encouraged open debate about the country
The results were:
Less censorship
A change of view of Soviet history
Andrei Sakharov was freed from exile (developed the hydrogen bomb in Russia)
Stalin was denounced
Gorbachev announced true socialism still hadn’t arrived
Perestroika
Gorbachev published a book with this title, which means “restructuring” it included:
Denouncing Stalin
Notion of one ideology one party
Admitted that Hungary, 1956 and Czechoslovakia, 1968 were mistakes
That he wanted to return to détente
He wanted reform
Gorbachev's Mistakes to Reform
Anti-alcohol campaign - cost state in revenue
Investment in machinery and tool industry with little return
Glasnost backfired in that people began hoarding common goods
Deficit grew annually
He continued the war in Afghanistan too long
His high ranking officials were based on loyalty rather than reform mindedness
The term was interpreted in the west as “openness”
This policy shocked both his people and the west
For the first time since the Tsars a leader encouraged open debate about the country
The results were:
Less censorship
A change of view of Soviet history
Andrei Sakharov was freed from exile (developed the hydrogen bomb in Russia)
Stalin was denounced
Gorbachev announced true socialism still hadn’t arrived
Perestroika
Gorbachev published a book with this title, which means “restructuring” it included:
Denouncing Stalin
Notion of one ideology one party
Admitted that Hungary, 1956 and Czechoslovakia, 1968 were mistakes
That he wanted to return to détente
He wanted reform
Gorbachev's Mistakes to Reform
Anti-alcohol campaign - cost state in revenue
Investment in machinery and tool industry with little return
Glasnost backfired in that people began hoarding common goods
Deficit grew annually
He continued the war in Afghanistan too long
His high ranking officials were based on loyalty rather than reform mindedness
Summary
Glasnost loosened disciplines of communism. Because of Glasnost Stalin was denounced, a changed view on soviet history and the announcement of true socialism still hadn't arrived. Gorbachev also published a book called Perestroika. This book included that the treatment of the Hungarian and Czechoslovakia uprising were mistakes, he wanted to return to detente and that he wanted reform. Some of Gorbachevs biggest mistakes were the taxing of vodka and invested in machinery and tool industry with little return.
Quote
Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal changes in the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep.
Gorbachev
Gorbachev
Subjunctive Question
Could communism have lasted longer without Glasnost and Perestroika?