Glasnost, 1986
- 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 socialism still hadn't arrived
Perestroika, 1987
- 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