Progress Demands Peace and Openness

A new generation of leaders, exemplified by Gorbachev, is disillusioned with the outdated Soviet system, which struggles economically amid state control and military expenditures. To revitalize the USSR, Gorbachev advocates for modernizing the economy through trade with the West and addresses the need to end the longstanding Cold War. He emphasizes that true progress cannot occur in a climate of fear or conflict, asserting that peace and freedom are fundamental human rights that should guide the nation’s future.