Glasnost, 1986-88

• Gorbachev always spoke about the need for the government to admit the truth.
• Gorbachev spoke about openness in December 1974.
• From 1983, the term was used by supporters of Andropov who wanted to end corruption.
• Initially, glasnost was a commitment to be open about the state of the Soviet economy.
• Glasnost became an important initiative from 1986 due to the opposition to Gorbachev within the Communist Party.
• Hardline Communists opposed Gorbachev’s reforms.
• Gorbachev invited writers and intellectuals such as Sakharov back from exile to criticize hardliners and get them to support his reforms.
• He believed that intellectuals and writers and artists were natural allies against Party hardliners.