past paper: History eastern europe Flashcards
What were glasnost and perestroika
Glasnost (openness) – open debate on government policy and honesty in facing
up to the problems. It was not a detailed set of policies but it did mean radical
change.’
Perestroika (restructuring) – allowed market forces to be introduced into the Soviet
economy. It was no longer illegal to buy and sell for profit.
What was the reform
A reform movement is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or also a political system closer to the community’s ideal.
Explain why Mikhail Gorbachev changed Soviet policy towards eastern Europe.
The idealist in Gorbachev believed that communist rule should make life better
for the people of the USSR and other communist states. As a loyal communist and a
proud Russian, he was offended by the fact that goods made in Soviet factories were
shoddy, living standards were higher in the West and that many Soviet citizens had
no loyalty to the Government.
