The Death of Gorbachev, a 20th Century Figure

On the meaning of Gorbachev.   [Patreon Exclusive]   Mikhail Gorbachev continues to be lauded in Western circles for overseeing the collapse of the Soviet Union without much bloodshed. But given the historic societal disaster that followed, is this status unmerited? How naive was Gorbachev about the wolves at the door? And to what extent was the writing on the wall by the late '80s – was there an alternative path not taken?   Readings:

• Big Man Walking: Gorbachev’s Dispensation, Neal Ascherson, LRB, 2017
• Voices of Glasnost review 
• Why Gorbachev Failed, Slavoj Zizek, Compact

  Listenings:

• OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 4 (on Gen X, the End of History and Soviet collapse)
• /276/ Broken Promises ft. Fritz Bartel (on the end of the Cold War and the rise of neoliberalism)
• /270/ Russia vs the West ft. Richard Sakwa (on the geopolitics of NATO expansion)