MikhailGorbachev

media type="custom" key="548057" media type="custom" key="548067" media type="custom" key="515375" media type="custom" key="524023"

toc


=Timeline= media type="custom" key="507975"

=Gorbachev's Accomplishments= Gorbachev has had a long political career. He showed a distinct interest in politics as early as college, joining the Russian Communist Party during his first year at the University of Moscow. Soon after his graduation in 1955, he joined his local Party chapter system of Stavropol krai.(Head 198) He became the youngest member of the Politburo, or parliament, in 1980. He was made the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985 when he became the general secretary of the Communist party. (Encyclopedia Britannica) When his efforts to revive the Soviet economy failed, he introduced the policies of perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness). Although progress was slow within the country, his foreign polices were successful. Gorbachev and United States President Ronald Reagan signed an agreement by which both countries would reduce their nuclear weapons in 1987. By early 1989, he had withdrawn all Soviet troops from Afghanistan. In 1990, Gorbachev was the first Communist head of state to be awarded the Nobel peace prize. (Encyclopedia Britannica) The collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe was the result of Gorbachev’s foreign policy and promotion of democracy, which had led to unrest in many of the country’s republics. Between 1989 and 1990, he used military force to suppress protests in many republics and tried to create laws by which a republic could peacefully separate from the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was elected president of the Soviet Union in 1990. A group of hard-line Communists who opposed Gorbachev’s rule tried to take control of the government by force in August 1991. Gorbachev resigned from the presidency on December 25, 1991. (Encyclopedia Brittanica)

=Social, Political, Economic Chart= (Galenet). || (ABC-CLIO Interactive). || 3. He signed a pact with the U.S. in 1987 to limit nuclear weapons (Galenet). || 3. He introduced new technology and stressed the importance of quality, of delivering goods in a timely fashion, and of anticipating and meeting consumer demand for specific products (Galenet). || =Video=
 * Social** || ** = =
 * Political** || ** = =
 * Economic** ||
 * 1. In April of 1989, anti-religion laws of the 1960s were rescinded (Galenet). || 1. Gorbachev forced many of the older and more conservative leaders to retire or accept lesser positions that effectively removed them from power (Galenet). || 1. He renewed crackdowns on corruption, alcholism, and incompetency. He also instituted cash incentives and bonus consumer goods for industrial and agricultural workers who improved productivity (Galenet). ||
 * 2. He cracked down on the Lithuanians when they declared their independence in the summer of 1990 (Galenet). || 2. In 1987, Gorbachev announced a new series of domestic reforms including expanding freedoms and the democratization of the political process (Galenet). || 2. He tackled the issue of decentralization and fostered greater independence among local factory managers by giving them more authority to decide schedules and quotas
 * 2. He cracked down on the Lithuanians when they declared their independence in the summer of 1990 (Galenet). || 2. In 1987, Gorbachev announced a new series of domestic reforms including expanding freedoms and the democratization of the political process (Galenet). || 2. He tackled the issue of decentralization and fostered greater independence among local factory managers by giving them more authority to decide schedules and quotas
 * 3. He moved cautiously because he was fearful that reforms, such as the end to price controls and guaranteed jobs, would lead to inflation and unemployment, and consequently social unrest
 * || 4. In March of 1989, the Soviet people voted in the first democratic elections in their nation's history (Galenet). || 4. He engaged in reform policies such as glastnost (openness) in which he allowed intellectual and political debate and perestroika (restructuring) in which he pursued extensive political and economic change (Galenet & ABC-CLIO Interactive). ||
 * || 5. He discouraged violent crackdowns on demonstrators and persuaded more hard-line communist leaders to resign (Galenet). || 5. He introduced reforms that allowed farmers more power in making decisions and encouraged larger private plots, where they could grow food for the open market (ABC-CLIO Interactive). ||
 * || 6. He allowed books that were previously banned in the Soviet Union, including works by prominent Russian dissidents, and newspapers displayed editorials questioning government policies and people gathered at meeting where they freely debated issues (ABC-CLIO Interactive). ||  ||

media type="google" key="8586618501549028065&hl=en" width="400" height="326"

Gorbachev lecturing at DePauw University in 2005.

=More Media= media type="custom" key="515443"




media type="custom" key="520421"

 =Works Cited= “Gorbachev, Mikhail.” eLibrary. ProQuest. Upper Merion High School Lib., King of Prussia, PA. 13 Feb. 2008 . “Mikhail Gorbachev.” Biography Resource Center. Gale. Upper Merion High School Lib., King of Prussia, PA. 13 Feb. 2008 . Mikhail Gorbachev. Ed. Tom Head. People Who Made History. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2003. “MIkhail Gorbachev World Political Leaders.” eLibrary. ProQuest. Upper Merion High School Lib., King of Prussia, PA. 13 Feb. 2008 .