Perestroika and Glasnost
Notes
- Glasnost:
- 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
- The results were:
- Less censorship
- A 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 Czechoslovakia, 1968 were mistakes
- That he wanted to return to détente
- He wanted reform
Summary
Glasnost was a term interpreted in the west as Openness. this policy was very surprising to the people of the west. This policy encouraged freedom of speech, as well a open debate. there was less censorship, a change of view of history, as well as Stalin being greatly denounced. Perestroika was a book written by Gorbachev, which means Restructuring. It denounced Stalin, and made a notion of one ideology and one party, as well as admitted that Hungary in 1956 as well as Czechoslovakia in 1968 were mistakes. He also said he wanted to return to Détente, and reform.
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Subjunctive Question
Do you think these things were very effective during this time?
Political Cartoon
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Quote
“If what you have done yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today."
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Mikhail Gorbachev