Gorbachev's Reform Struggles

This chapter explores the numerous challenges Gorbachev faced while attempting to reform the Soviet Union, particularly addressing systemic issues like low-quality production and bootleg vodka. It highlights his efforts toward decentralization and the resistance he met from entrenched party members, as well as the ideological contradictions of Marxist-Leninism that surfaced during this turbulent period. Ultimately, the narrative reflects on Gorbachev's transformative yet destabilizing policies, including glasnost and perestroika, and the emergence of new political dynamics in the wake of his initiatives.