Question

What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms in the USSR?

Answer 1

Mikhail Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985 and introduced a series of political and economic reforms in an attempt to reform the Soviet system. His decisions were guided by the following factors:

a. The Soviet system lagged behind the Western capitalist system in terms of technology and infrastructure. Therefore, in order to keep in pace with the technological revolution of the West, it was felt imperative to introduce reforms.
b. Mikhail Gorbachev also felt the need of normalising relations with the US, and thus, decided to bring about reforms and democratise the system.
c. The Soviet system was characterised by rigidity, strict bureaucratic control and authoritarianism. People did not enjoy any political rights or freedom of speech. The system thus had failed to satisfy the political and economic aspirations of the people. Therefore, reforms were considered essential to liberate the rigid administrative system.
d. The system was under the control of one party that is the Communist party, which neither tolerated any dissent or opposition, nor was responsible and accountable to people. This further created resentment.
e. The invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 had weakened the Soviet system both politically and economically. The USSR incurred heavy losses, thereby placing a huge burden on the national economy. As a result, the Soviet Union later decided to withdraw in 1988.
f. The grave economic crisis that had entangled the Soviet system with fall in production and shortage of consumer goods created disillusionment among the people.