Perestroika | Definition, Significance, & Facts | Britannica

Perestroika: A Summary

Perestroika, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s, was a program designed to restructure the Soviet Union's economic and political systems. The goal was to improve the Soviet economy to compete with capitalist nations like the United States, Germany, and Japan.

Key Aspects of Perestroika

• Economic Decentralization: Gorbachev aimed to decentralize economic controls, encouraging self-financing enterprises.
• Reduced Communist Party Control: The program sought to reduce direct Communist Party involvement in governance, empowering local governments.
• Political Reforms: The creation of the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies in 1988 marked a significant shift, introducing elections with a choice of candidates, including non-Communists, though the Communist Party maintained dominance.

Despite the intentions, the economic bureaucracy resisted many aspects of Perestroika, hindering its success.