MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

Mikhail Gorbachev: The changes He brought to the Soviet Union

Abstract

In this study we try to explore the personality known as “Mikhail Gorbachev” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “Mikhail Gorbachev”, his vision and the actions through which he brought significant “changes in the Soviet Union”. The research also analyzes many aspects in the life of “Mikhail Gorbachev” and focuses to the “political, legislative and economic changes” that were brought in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the research describes the people that favored and the people that retaliated to the practices “Mikhail Gorbachev” and concludes whether the influence of the changes on the Soviet Union.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Discussion5

Changes in Soviet Union's Political Practices5

Changes in Soviet Union's Legislation6

The Changes in Soviet Union's Economy7

Changes in Soviet Union's Defense Expenditures8

Conclusion9

References11

Mikhail Gorbachev: The changes He brought to the Soviet Union

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to enlighten and explore the personality known as Mikhail S. Gorbachev. The paper will enlighten several important aspects of Gorbachev's life and will focus on his presence in the Soviet Union. In addition, the study will enlighten diverse changes that Mikhail S. Gorbachev brought in the Soviet Union. According to diverse sources, Mikhail S. Gorbachev's top priority was to cope with the widespread economic, social, and moral crisis gripping the Soviet Union. The crisis were not likely to bring social or political upheaval, let alone collapse. The repressive strength of the Soviet system as well as popular patriotism will see to that. However, Gorbachev's effort to cope clearly was driving him toward real reform. The most striking aspect to date of Gorbachev's program was the policy of talking openly, and critically, about the crisis (Gunlicks, Treadway, 1987).

Gorbachev successfully reduced the negative elements that affected Soviet Union; high inflation, unemployment, predatory privatization, rampant crime, corruption of unprecedented size, drug addiction and more. The key term here, repeated endlessly in leadership speeches and in the authoritative media, was glasnost, which can be translated as openness or publicity. However, there are really two glasnosts: one internal, the other external. Externally, glasnost has meant the adoption of Western techniques of publicity or public relations in order to project in the West, mainly through the Western media, a more positive image of the Soviet Union and of particular Soviet policies. This was the whole point of good public relations; but, to dismiss the effort as mere public relations, as some in the West missed its vital connection with Gorbachev's domestic program and the crisis underlying it.

Discussion

According to different sources, when Gorbachev himself or his well-tailored spokesmen call for better relations with the rest of the world, greater East-West trade, and an end to the arms race all consistent, to be sure, with maintaining Soviet superpower status they really mean it (Gunlicks, Treadway, 1987). However, their attention was focused elsewhere. As a large gathering of Western-Soviet experts recently agreed, following their discussion of last years' much-heralded Congress of the Soviet Communist Party, The Soviet agenda was dominated by domestic ...