Perestroika, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s, was a program designed to restructure the Soviet Union's economic and political systems. The goal was to improve the Soviet economy to compete with capitalist nations like the United States, Germany, and Japan.
Despite the intentions, the economic bureaucracy resisted many aspects of Perestroika, hindering its success.
Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot
perestroika, program instituted in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s to restructure Soviet economic and political policy. Seeking to bring the Soviet Union up to economic par with capitalist countries such as Germany, Japan, and the United States, Gorbachev decentralized economic controls and encouraged enterprises to become self-financing. The economic bureaucracy, fearing the loss of its power and privileges, obstructed much of his program, however. Gorbachev also proposed reducing the direct involvement of the Communist Party leadership in the country’s governance and increasing the local governments’ authority. In 1988 a new parliament, the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies, was created. Similar congresses were established in each Soviet republic as well. For the first time, elections to these bodies presented voters with a choice of candidates, including noncommunists, though the Communist Party continued to dominate the system. (See also glasnost.)The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.Skip the extension — just come straight here.
We’ve built a fast, permanent tool you can bookmark and use anytime.
Go To Paywall Unblock Tool