Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union and the first and only president of the Soviet Union He was born in March 1931 in the village of Privolnoye in Stavropol Territory, the son of a peasant farmer. Gorbachev's power in the Soviet Union (1985-1991), which he described as a 'new thinking' and 'perestroika underwent a radical reform of the Soviet Union, including the gradual dismantling of its vast empire.
Gorbachev's reform efforts were aimed at democratizing the Soviet Union and introducing market reforms to replace the outdated and inefficient socialist system of government. He instituted reforms that would liberalize the Soviet economy, and allow for more public involvement in the political process. He ended the Cold War, and helped pave the way for the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. As the leader of a superpower, his accomplishments were enormous and have changed the world in significant ways.
Five of the Best Examples of Gorbachev's Reforms:
1. Glasnost: Gorbachev introduced the concept of glasnost (openness). This meant greater freedom of speech and media expression. He opened up the press to allow for more criticism of the Soviet Union, and ended censorship of the media, allowing for more open and frank discussion of important political issues.
2. Perestroika: Gorbachev's perestroika reform program introduced market reforms to the Soviet economy. This included decentralizing control of the economy, and allowing for private enterprise and foreign investment.
3. Nuclear disarmament: Gorbachev was a leader in negotiating a series of nuclear disarmament and arms control agreements with the United States. This included the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which eliminated the threat of a nuclear attack by either super power.
4. The Helsinki Accords: Gorbachev was instrumental in the negotiation and signing of the Helsinki Accords, a series of agreements between the Soviet Union and the West. These agreements recognized the independence of individual Soviet republics, and established guiding principles for security and human rights in Europe.
5. The dissolution of the Soviet Union: Gorbachev's reforms helped lead to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This marked the end of the Cold War, and allowed for a new era of democracy, peace and economic opportunity for the people of the newly independent nations.
These five examples highlight the immense accomplishments Gorbachev made during his years in office. His influence and reforms continue to shape the world today and will be remembered for generations to come.