Final answer:
Under 'perestroika', the Soviet Union, led by Mikhail Gorbachev, allowed some private business ownership and reduced governmental economic control, but it did not fully establish a democratic government. The reforms exposed economic issues and helped end communist rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the policy of perestroika, significant changes unfolded in the Soviet Union during the 1980s. Lead by Mikhail Gorbachev, perestroika was a series of political and economic reforms which included a reduction of government control in the economy, introduction of some market-like reforms, and a move towards allowing more political openness. Notably, perestroika allowed for some private ownership of businesses, along with more autonomy for state enterprises and the establishment of cooperatives.
While perestroika aimed to modernize the Soviet system and encourage efficiency, it exposed deep-rooted economic challenges, ultimately contributing to the Soviet Union's decline. Perestroika did not establish a democratic government, but it did create a space where some non-communist political activity could take place, which was revolutionary for the time.
Glasnost, another policy enacted by Gorbachev simultaneously with perestroika, aimed at boosting governmental transparency and openness, thus leading to a more substantial discourse within the Soviet Union about the state of the nation and its future. Together, these reforms helped pave the way for the end of communist rule and the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union.