Failure to Reform the Communist Party Flashcards
What system did Gorbachev want to move away from and then move more towards?
Gorbachev wanted to move from Leninism to a democracy.
What did Gorbachev argue that Lenin wanted to back up his case?
He argued that Lenin would’ve wanted an eventual shift into a democracy as well so it was needed overall.
What was the reason that Gorbachev wanted this democratic reform?
So that he could purge the corrupt officials from government.
What did Gorbachev want to do with freedom of speech?
He wanted more freedom of speech, but it was important that these reforms weren’t to undermine the communist party.
What did Gorbachev try to do in 1985?
- Tried to open up debate in the party.
- Gave intellectuals and academic more power to express their opinions.
- Gave the public more access to records and documents.
Who did Gorbachev Purge?
Any officials that aligned with Gorbachev’s way of thinking.
What was the problems about the new people Gorbachev was bringing in?
They were often reformists, and with the new positions that he opened up, they often had more authority in government than Gorbachev himself.
What was Glasnost?
Glasnost was openness in the media and a truthful government.
By 1988 criticisms began to sprout out in the media and foreign media also became available.
What were Gorbachev’s more later reforms centered around?
they were more centered around democracy.
What happened in 1988 with Gorbachev’s reforms?
Several candidates were allowed into elections there were apart of the communist party.
When was the first “democratic” vote held?
In 1989 where 5 communist party members lost their seats to more radicalistic opponents. e.g. Boris Yeltsin won 89% of Moscow.
What happened in the 1990 elections?
Democratic Russia secured 85% of seats in Moscow and it became clear that the reforms were backfiring.
