Perestrojka

Perestroika, from the Russian term перестройка, meaning “restructuring,” was a set of political and economic reforms implemented in the Soviet Union starting in the mid-1980s under General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. It aimed to revitalize the economy and society by addressing stagnation, inefficiency, and a perceived sclerosis within the Soviet system.

Economically, perestroika sought to decentralize planning, grant greater autonomy to state enterprises, and introduce market-oriented mechanisms while maintaining the overarching socialist framework. Reforms included price adjustments, incentives to improve productivity, and the expansion of cooperatives, small private enterprises, and foreign investment through joint ventures. Over time, the policy moved toward allowing more economic experimentation and a wider space for private initiative, albeit within a controlled political environment.

Politically, perestroika was paired with glasnost, or openness, which broadened public discussion, relaxed censorship, and increased transparency and accountability in government. This period saw more candid media coverage, more competitive local elections, and a reexamination of past policies. However, the reforms faced resistance from hardline party factions and were constrained by systemic tensions between centralized control and the new openings.

Outcomes and legacy remain debated. Economic difficulties persisted for a time, shortages continued, and nationalist movements gained momentum in several republics. By the end of the Soviet era, perestroika’s political and economic changes contributed to significant upheaval, culminating in the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Supporters credit it with ending the Cold War and modernizing the state; critics argue it hastened instability and fragmentation.