Answer:
By the 1980s, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had implemented a series of reforms aimed at modernizing and liberalizing the Soviet Union. Some of these reforms included:
- Glasnost: This policy of "openness" allowed for greater freedom of speech, press, and assembly, and encouraged greater transparency and accountability in government. This policy led to greater public debate and discussion, and helped to expose corruption and inefficiencies in the Soviet system.
- Perestroika: This policy of "restructuring" aimed to decentralize the Soviet economy and allow greater market forces to operate. This policy led to some privatization of industry and greater autonomy for state enterprises, but also led to economic difficulties and social dislocation.
- Democratization: This policy aimed to increase the participation of citizens in the political process and to reduce the power of the Communist Party. This policy led to the formation of new political parties and greater competition in elections, but also led to increased tensions between reformers and hardliners within the Soviet government.
Overall, Gorbachev's reforms had a significant impact on Soviet society and politics. They helped to expose the weaknesses and inefficiencies of the Soviet system, and paved the way for greater political and economic freedom in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, they also led to significant social and economic dislocation, and contributed to the political and economic instability of the late Soviet period.