Gorbachev's New Thinking

• Mikhail Gorbachev became the last leader of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until its collapse in 1991.
• Gorbachev’s relationship with the West:

  • very little foreign policy experience

  • viewed the relationship in simplistic terms

  • 1985 - commented 'Reagan is not just a class enemy; he is extremely

  primitive. He looks like a caveman and is mentally retarded.’
• Chernobyl Crisis:

  • relationship with the West was tested over the Chernobyl crisis.

  • April 1986 - nuclear reactor in Chernobyl exploded.

  • initially authorised a cover story that denied there had been a release of dangerous radiation.

  • Western governments put pressure on Gorbachev to tell the truth about • international symbol of the crisis in Soviet communism and made their relationship more strained.
• Gorbachev recognised that Communism in Russia faced many problems.
• The USSR economy was not as efficient as the USA. Life in Russia was dominated by shortages and it was not uncommon for housewives to queue for up to five hours simply to get a packet of sausages. Many of the Soviet people had lost faith in the Communist party.
• Perestroika (restructuring) - economic reforms designed to make the Soviet economy more efficient
• Glasnost (openness) – censorship of the press was to be relaxed
• Gorbachev assumed that perestroika and glasnost would strengthen the power of the Soviet Communist Party. Indeed, although Gorbachev talked about reform, he was very slow to allow democratic elections in Russia.