reform of the party and government - Gorbachev

Question 1

Gorbachev’s reasons for wanting reform

Answer 1

• creation of a democracy
• people will play a role in purging the party of corrupt officials
• freedom of speech
• hoped people would participate in government to end the cynicism of the people

Question 2

dangers of reform

Answer 2

Khrushchev’s reforms had led to people asking for multi-party democracy and an end to communist rule
undermining the CP would destroy the USSR

Question 3

Gorbachev’s early reforms 1985

Answer 3

he wanted to:
- open up all debate in the Party
- allow intellectuals more freedom of expression
- allow the public to have more access to information

Question 4

purging the party

Answer 4

one of his first reforms was to purge the party of senior communists who served under Brezhnev
this allowed him to appoint new ministers who favoured reform
e.g. Yeltsin

Question 5

Glasnost 1986-88

Answer 5

‘openess’
information about economics and society history because more readily available
there was liberalisation of the media

Question 6

liberalisation of the media

Answer 6

• have Yakolev responsibility for society media - he appointed new radical editors
• published criticisms of Marx and Lenin
• citizens were permitted to listen to foreign radio
• CP revealed the scale of the economic problems

Question 7

political effects of Gorbachev’s reforms

Answer 7

divided the party - hardliners feared reform would risk destroying the communist system
factions emerged - hardliners vs radicals
many citizens lost faith in the government due to the revelations of Stalin’s terror
free media meant people published criticisms of communism