Student Question
What role did Gorbachev's reforms play in the Soviet Union's collapse?
Quick answer:
Gorbachev's reforms significantly contributed to the Soviet Union's collapse by loosening state controls, which emboldened citizens to demand further changes. Prior to his leadership, prospects for reform were minimal, with dissidents suppressed. Gorbachev's acknowledgment of the need for fundamental change made it difficult to contain demands for more freedoms. While intending to reform without dismantling communist control, his policies inadvertently triggered a cascade of demands that ultimately led to the system's disintegration.
Although historians dispute this issue to some extent, I would argue that Gorbachev's attempts at reform played an important role in the collapse of the USSR. Specifically, these reforms loosened Soviet controls enough that people demanded more and more changes until the system fell apart.
Before Gorbachev, there was little real hope of change in the Soviet Union. There were dissidents, but they tended to be suppressed and had no hope of truly getting the system to change. But then Gorbachev came in and argued that fundamental change had to occur. Once he admitted this, it was hard to draw the line. He tried to reform the system without destroying communist control, but his reforms opened the floodgates. The people were "given an inch" and they "took a mile."
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.