The Life and Death of Mikhail Gorbachev

Good morning everyone. I’m Michele Carroll and welcome to the News Diet where I’ll give you daily news bites in under 10 minutes. Today I’m gonna talk about the life and death of the man responsible for the end of the Soviet Union - Mikhail Gorbachev. Let’s be informed so we can get on with our day.

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Mikhail Gorbachev, arguably one of the most influential political figures of the 20th century, died yesterday at the age of 91. Reports have only said that his death was from a “long and grave illness”. Gorbachev served as the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. And in those six years, essentially put the country and much of Eastern Europe on a trajectory to reject communist rule and embrace more democratic regimes. In fact, the end of his rule in 1991 marked the end of the Soviet Union as well.

Gorbachev was born and raised by peasant parents in a farming village in the Stavropol region. He reportedly lived in a house of straw and mud, with no indoor plumbing. His family was faithful to the Soviet ideology of communism and he even joined the Communist Party youth organization as a child. In 1948, he and his father harvested a mass amount of grain for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, which helped his application and acceptance to the most prestigious university in the country of Moscow State University for law school. There, Gorbachev was allowed access to books otherwise banned and gained a talent for speaking which he would become known for throughout his political career. It was during this time that he also met his wife who is credited for introducing Mikhail to culture such as the theater, concerts, and museums.

After school, he moved back to the Stavropol region, where he would spend the next 22 years climbing the local ladder until he was named party chief for the region - which could be compared to say state governors here. It was this position that allowed Gorbachev to get in with influential figures and grow his network. He and his wife eventually moved back to Moscow in 1978. At this time the Soviet government was deeply corrupt and the economy was flailing. There was little food, low wages, low supplies, and it didn’t help that the leadership of the country was largely older and oddly many of them ill. So when Mikhail joined the inner circle of the political elite as a Central Committee secretary, he was reportedly a standout compared to the typical member. After a few odd years of Soviet Union leaders passing away from various illnesses, Gorbachev became the General Secretary, the leader of the Soviet Union.

Political philosophies aside, Gorbachev was known as having a very different style of leadership than past rulers. He loved speaking to the press, and was also seen chatting with the public often. He also emphasized stronger relationships with the west - visiting Canada and Britain where it’s said his wife became popular for being a fashionable woman, and Margaret Thatcher even gave her approval. 

But it was his political reform that Gorbachev is most known for. In his relatively short time in office, he moved the union away from many restrictions that he felt were holding the people and economy back. For example, he opened up the press to not be beholden to state approval, he called for not using his photo for enormous portraits like past leaders, after a historic meeting with Pope John Paul II he enacted a so-called freedom-of-conscience right allowing people to “satisfy their spiritual needs”; he also visited hospitals, schools, and other public communities to talk with the people. He also replaced much of his political circle with other reformers. Also, he tried to impose more restrictions on alcohol, particularly vodka, as he felt the mass consumption of it was hampering families and the economy. Apparently this wasn’t very popular with the public and he relaxed his efforts in 1988.

One of his most impactful initiatives was working with American President Ronald Reagan in eliminating, for the first time, an entire class of nuclear weapons. This was during the cold war when the threat of nuclear annihilation was palpable.

Gorbachev also got rid of the one party system for a multiparty one. After doing this he was, this time, elected as president, where he hoped to move the country to a market system of private enterprises. 

Intentional or not, some would say not, it was thanks to his rule and influence in 1989 when the sentiment of independence swept through Eastern Europe, with every communist regime in Europe replaced, except for Albania. This was also when the Berlin Wall came down for a unified Germany. Gorbachev wasn’t in support of all independence though. Regions looking to claim independence from the Soviet Union such as Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, saw opposition from the leader.

Even though Gorbachev seemed to be one for the people and for democracy and private enterprises, he wasn’t entirely out with the old systems. He walked a line between reform and tradition, and many say that this was ultimately his downfall. The groups that wanted to maintain the status quo thought he was too eager for change, and those that wanted more reform soon came to think that he wasn’t doing enough, and now through their newfound freedoms, could express their discontent loudly. After all, the economy was still struggling through these transitions, as were the people. This essentially set the stage for his ousting. In 1991, while on vacation, Gorbachev was met by members of the Soviet military and KGB and was forced to resign. The news of this caused hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to hit the streets. Ultimately, the coup attempt failed, but fellow reformer Boris Yeltsin was called to replace him. On August 24, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as general secretary of the Communist Party and the Soviet Empire ended the next day.

Since then, Gorbachev has spent his time traveling the world to speak and for diplomatic matters. His legacy seems to be generally favorable in the West. But unfortunately, in Russia, much of his influence has reversed back to corruption and control.

The state agency has said that he’ll be buried near his wife in Moscow.

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You’ve just been informed so now it’s time to get on with your day. I’m Michele Carroll. Thanks so much for listening.

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Welcome to The News Diet.
Hosted by Michele Carroll.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/world/europe/mikhail-gorbachev-dead.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Gorbachev#General_Secretary_of_the_CPSU

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union

https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/berlinwall#:~:text=Although%20changes%20in%20the%20GDR,for%20almost%2030%20years%20had

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Yeltsin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnXfS9neblw&t=517s