The introduction of economic and political reform policies of Perestroika is…
2018
The introduction of economic and political reform policies of Perestroika is associated with which of the following political leader?
- A.
Vladimir Putin
- B.
Nikita Khrushchev
- C.
Mikhail Gorbachev
- D.
Boris Yeltsin
Attempted by 179 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev introduced Perestroika.
What Perestroika was: a policy of economic and political restructuring (reform) of the Soviet Union intended to modernize and revive its stagnating system.
Who and when: launched by Mikhail Gorbachev after he became General Secretary in 1985.
Main elements: decentralizing some economic control, giving enterprises more autonomy, allowing limited private enterprise and market mechanisms, and introducing political reforms. Perestroika was paired with Glasnost (openness), which expanded freedom of expression and transparency.
Purpose: to increase economic efficiency, modernize industry and agriculture, and reform the political system to make it more responsive.
Outcome and significance: the reforms increased openness and political activity; combined with economic problems and national movements, they contributed to the unraveling of the Soviet system and the USSR’s eventual collapse in 1991.
Quick memory aid: associate Perestroika with Mikhail Gorbachev (mid‑1980s). Other leaders are associated with different reforms or periods: Nikita Khrushchev with de‑Stalinization (1950s–60s), Boris Yeltsin with post‑Soviet Russia (1990s), and Vladimir Putin later (2000s onward).