Cold War - Leaders - Gorbachev

Question 1

What was Gorbachev’s Economic policy and what did it aim at? What were the three main reforms?

Answer 1

Perestroika - restructuring the soviet economy by introducing market-oreintated reforms

Decentralisation, Private Enterprise, Foreign Investment

Question 2

What was his political policy? What was a part of his policy?

Answer 2

Glasnost - aimed at pormoting transparency and freedom of expression - allowing criticism of government
- Demokratizasiya

Question 3

What did Demokratizasiya aim at, what did it allow for?

Answer 3

• aimed at allowing limited democratisation within the soviet system
• Multi candidate elections
• non- communist candidates
• Local governance

Question 4

What was Gorbachev’s military policy (concept) and what did it aim at?

Answer 4

Military defense concept
- Resonable sufficiency, it reduced the arms race and aimed at reducing military spending

Question 5

What were the weaknesses of Gorbachev’s economic policies?

Answer 5

it led to the weakening of the Soviet economy as the reforms (D, PE, FI) were never fully established and lacked clear direction

Question 6

What were the weaknesses of his political policies what did it lead to (loosening)?

Answer 6

it destablished the political system
- the loosening of censcorship and central control led to the rise of nationalism and calls for independence in satelitte states

Question 7

How did Gorbachev shift presvious USSR foreign policy (two words then what he abandonded & when)?

Answer 7

Confrontation - Cooperation

He abandoned the BREZNEV DOCTRINE in 1988 by announcing the withdrawl of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, demonstrating a move from military interventionism.

Question 8

What was the the Breznev Doctrine replaced by?

Answer 8

The Sinatra Doctrine
- allowed Eastern European states to pursue their own paths. = loss of the Eastern Bloc

Question 9

What has Gorbachev’s impact on the course of the cold war (his character and the colapse of the Soviet Bloc)?

Answer 9

• his willingness to negotiate with the west de-escalated tensions
• his decision to abandon the Breznev doctrine allowed eastern european countries to purse their own reforms which led to the collapse of the Soviet Bloc and and the loss of control over Soviet states