Gorbachev, Mikhail (1931—)

Mikhail Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. His reform efforts contributed to ending the Cold War, ended the political supremacy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and ultimately dissolved the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

Gorbachev is known for trying to revive the Soviet economy, which had reached stagnation in 1985. He initiated acceleration reforms, later known as perestroika (“reconstruction”) and glasnost (“liberalization” or “opening”). In 1988, glasnost brought about greater freedom of speech, a radical change for a system in which control of speech and suppression of government criticism had previously been strictly enforced. The press became less controlled, and thousands of political prisoners and many dissidents were [Page 278]released. Time magazine named Gorbachev Man of the Year in 1985.

Presidents George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev hold a press conference at the Helsinki Summit, Finland (September 1990). Hailed in the West for his “New Thinking” in foreign affairs, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

Source: Ronald Reagan Library.

Gorbachev's economic reforms, which permitted the private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign trade sectors, did not produce the expected results, bringing about food shortages and provoking internal dissatisfaction and hostility from Soviet extremists. They contended that Gorbachev weakened the Communist Party and the country's military capabilities.

Gorbachev also launched radical reforms meant to reduce party control of the government institutions. He proposed a new executive in the form of a presidential system, as well as a new legislative element, to be called the Congress of People's Deputies.

In 1988, Gorbachev abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine and allowed the Eastern bloc nations to determine their own internal affairs. Gorbachev's relaxation of Soviet censorship and control led to liberation revolutions in the Eastern Bloc in the late 1980s and to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The loosening of Soviet hegemony over Eastern Europe effectively ended the Cold War, and for this Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 15, 1990. Also, on March 15 of the same year, Gorbachev was elected as the first executive president of the Soviet Union.

Gorbachev was largely appreciated in the West for his “New Thinking” in foreign affairs. He sought to improve relations and trade with the West by reducing Cold War tensions. He established close relationships with several Western leaders, including U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In Germany he is acclaimed for allowing German reunification to proceed.

In 1986 and 1987, Gorbachev made proposals for the elimination of intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe and agreed to eliminate all nuclear weapons by the end of the century. In February 1988, Gorbachev also announced the full withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.

Gorbachev resigned as general secretary of the Communist Party and advised the Central Committee to dissolve itself after the August 1991 unsuccessful coup led by hard-line communists. He lost the presidency to his opponent Boris Yeltsin, after the collapse of the Union in December 1991.