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Analysis of Three Books About Gorbachev Essay

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Analysis of Three Books About Gorbachev

The history of the Soviet Union is complicated and fascinating. In the course of only seventy years this country has seen the development of the totally new system of state, economic growth, the growth of hopes for the "brighter future", and then the sudden and expected by no one collapse of the whole system leading to chaos, wars, and confusion. One period is especially important in order to realize how did things finally started to change after the seventy years of blindly pursuing the dream of communism which left the Soviet Union in a very bad economical and moral state, and this period is called perestroika, Russian for restructuring. The main figure behind this process which began in …show more content…

This influence lasted for years and the fact that Gorbachev has become
"westernized" in his appearance, manners, dress and the "image he projects of tolerance and cordial behavior, all the small signs which mark him as different from the usual Komsomol and Party boss", is according to Medvedev due to a great extent to the fact that Mlynar was Gorbachev's roommate (Medvedev, 1986, p. 43).

Although the first part of the book is certainly interesting and important I would like to concentrate on the second part of the book since it is directly deals with the subject that interests me most, that is the years when Gorbachev was in power and the development of the new course in the Soviet life called perestroika. From just reading the first paragraph it is obvious that the author approves of the new leader. Medvedev writes: "For the first time in
Soviet history, the leadership succession has meant more than the arrival of a new leader and the possibility of the implementation of the new policies. The
Gorbachev succession marks the appearance of a new political generation which differs from the old guard in style, knowledge and historical vision....Gorbachev represents a younger post-war political generation, a generation which started its professional Party or state career during the more liberal Krushchev era" (p. 165). Medvedev quotes some of the very enthusiastic
Western newspaper comments which called Gorbachev a "bright, incisive,

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