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
- This resulted in: Less censorship, and 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
- 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 Czecholslovakia, 1968 were mistakes
- That he wanted to return to Detente (couldnt afford not to anyways)
- He wanted reform
Collapse of Communism
- Poland had a history of liberation movements
- Lech Walesa had formed the solidarity movement of trade unions in 1980
- 1981 the gov’t cracked down with martial law under General Jaruzelski
- 1989 elections were held in Poland the solidarity movement won 92% of the vote and 160/161 seats
- The solidarity leader, Tadeusz Mazowiecki became Prime Minister although Jaruzelski remained President
- Dec. 1990 Lech Walesa became President of Poland
- Hungary had been ruled by Janos Kadar since the 1956 Hungarian uprising
- After watching events in Poland they allowed free elections in March 1990
- The Democratic Forum won with Jozsef Natal as the Prime Minister
Summary
Openness was the term that was interpreted in the West at this time. The people and the west were both incredibly shocked by this sudden policy and for the first time since the Tsars, an open debate had occurred about the country. A leader had decided that it would be a good thing to encourage. The overall results includeless censorship and a change of view of soviet history. Andrei Sakharov, who developed a hydrogen bomb in Russia, was then free from exile. Gorbachev shortly after this event, published his own book. The title means'restructuring' and this book mentions denouncing Stalin, notion of one ideology and one party, he admitted that both Hungary and Czechoslovakia were both huge mistakes, he wanted detente to return, and last but not least, that Gorbechev wanted to reform.