Gorbachev novomyshlenie

The Perestroica and the Glasnost

Mijaíl Gorbachov, new leader of the USSR announced a new program, based on: Perestroika and Glasnost.

The perestroika wanted to gave more socialism and democracy to the system, but taking into consideration communism, and with reforms:

• In politics it meant that some groups from the opposition were able to take place in the democratic elections.
• In economy, it meant that little by little they were being made part of the capitalist system.

Glasnost tried to moderate the censorship.

International relationships

International relationship softened although they weren’t always good.

With the Treaty of Washington both countries decided to reduce their arsenals.

The fall of communism in Europe

In 1986, there was a terrible accident in Chernobil (it was a nuclear disaster) that brought consequences (human and ecologic).

The fall of the perestroika was an important moment.

• In 1989, the Berlin wall came down, and the Soviets left Afghanistan.

In 1991, rebels who opposed Gorbachev’s reforms carried out a coup attempt in Moscow.

• The coup failed and, in response to it, President Yeltsin suppressed the communist regime. That was the end of the Cold War.