1980sglasnost

Glaspnost was a policy of openness and transparency introduced by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s. The term is Russian for "openness," and it referred to the efforts to make the Soviet government and society more transparent and accountable.

Gorbachev, who became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985, implemented glasnost as part of his broader reforms aimed at revitalizing the Soviet economy and rebalancing international relations. The policy allowed for a more open discussion of Soviet society's problems, including corruption, censorship, and human rights abuses.

Glasnost marked a significant departure from the secrecy and repression that had characterized the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev and other previous leaders. It introduced measures such as the release of prisoners of conscience, the retraction of censorship, and the establishment of free speech zones in the media.

Glasnost also facilitated the emergence of dissidents, intellectuals, and artists who had been silenced or marginalized under the previous regime. Writers, poets, and filmmakers were finally able to express themselves freely, and a new generation of Soviet citizens began to engage in open and critical discussions about the country's future.

Glasnost played a crucial role in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union, as it created a momentum for reform and challenged the status quo. By the early 1990s, glasnost had largely lost its force, as the perceived successes of economic reform were replaced by social and economic chaos. Nevertheless, glasnost's legacy continues to influence politics and society in Russia and other post-Soviet countries.