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Gorbachev’s aims
Aim for Democracy
Freedom of Speech
avoid dangers
Aim for Democracy
wanted to move the one party dictatorship towards a democracy
under communist theory, dictatorship should of been temporary
way to purge conservatives out of the party
Avoid dangers
avoid undermining the party too much with fears of collapse
Freedom of speech
wanted to make people less cynical about communist rule
Reforming the communist party and soviet government
Encouraging debate
purging old members
glasnost
Republic elections
Encouraging debate
1985 Gorbachev tried to open up debate in the party
public was also given access to more records and documents
purging old members
Gorbachev purged old members who had close ties with Brezhnev
Glasnost
one of Gorbachev’s most enduring legacies as leader
‘openness’ relied on the idea that the government had a responsibility to be truthful to the people about Soviet history and its economy.
This included a more liberal approach to the media.
1988: Criticisms of Marx and Lenin began to appear in the press. Foreign media became more widely available.
Party Conference
1988 - elections to soviets
Citizens could choose between different candidates from within the Communist Party.
The first election of this sort took place in 1989. 5 members of the Central Committee lost their seats, and more radical (reforming) Communists were more successful.
Radicals like Boris Yeltsin did well. He won 89% in Moscow
Republic elections
1990 - A further weakening of the Communist Party happened during the nationwide elections of 1990. ‘Democratic Russia’ secured 85% of the seats in Moscow.
It became increasingly clear that Gorbachev’s reforms were backfiring.