Compare And Contrast Brezhnev Vs Gorbachev Era

In the second term of Reagan’s presidency, a warming of bilateral relations between the Soviet Union and the United States was initiated which began in 1985 when Mikhail Gorbachev took power in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev and Reagan were able to work together because Gorbachev contrasted the policies of his predecessor Leonid Brezhnev. Although Brezhnev was not the immediate predecessor of Gorbachev, the Brezhnev Era was considered the Era preceding the Gorbachev Era because Brezhnev’s successors, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko only served from 1982, which was Brezhnev’s death to 1985 when Gorbachev assumed power. The three years between both Eras, Brezhnev’s policies were still being implemented and no significant reforms or changes

were introduced which is why the three years succeeding Brezhnev’s death was still considered the Brezhnev Era. During the Brezhnev Era, economic growth was stagnant and in decline because Brezhnev spent a significant amount of the Soviet GDP on increasing global influence of the Soviet Union and building and developing the size and technology of the Soviet Union. When Gorbachev assumed power in 1985, he initiated both political and economic reforms in an attempt to stop the stagnant economy and promote economic growth. These reforms were known as glasnost and perestroika. Glasnost which means openness in Russian was Gorbachev’s policy to increase government transparency and allow discussion and criticism of policies which was a relaxation of the authoritarian and totalitarian dictatorship the Soviet regime previously imposed. This impressed Reagan and lead to more liberal and democratic policies during Gorbachev’s rule. Political freedom was not only increased during Gorbachev’s rule, but so was economic reform which was known as perestroika. Perestroika which translates to restructuring in Russian was the implementation of more market like reforms to increase the efficiency of the Soviet economy and restricting the command economy. Although, many saw this policy as a liberation of the markets and the end of a state controlled economy, however, perestroika was to open markets and implemented more market like policies to boost and make socialism more effective for the Soviet economy and workers. Reagan, who saw this new change and shift in leadership of the Soviet Union changed his hardline stance and rhetoric into negotiations with the Soviet Union. However, Reagan was not motivated to negotiate with the Soviet Union, but with Gorbachev seeing the potential Gorbachev had to further reform the Soviet Union and possibly end the Cold War. Both Reagan and Gorbachev were willing to cooperate with one another and this can be reflected in the bilateral treaties signed between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Reykjavik Summit which took place on October 11-12, 1986 in Reykjavik, Iceland was a continuation of the failed Geneva Summit that took place a year ago in 1985 and failed in establishing any motives for banning ballistic missiles and other weapons. Gorbachev and Reagan were in agreement in terms regarding limiting Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles over a ten year period excluding the weapons of France and Britain however at the last minute, no agreement was reached as the negotiations failed. This failure may have been a negative aspect of Reagan’s foreign policy but that was outweighed because this failure allowed for the successful signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty a year later on December 8, 1987. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty allowed for the nuclear disarmament of short and intermediate range nuclear and conventional missiles from a range of 500-5,500 kilometers. The signing of the treaty signaled a shift in the view of the US-Soviet relationship and reignited hope in more cooperation between the two

nations. As much as this is an international relationship, this was also reflected upon the relationship Reagan and Gorbachev shared, being able to work hand in hand to further the interests of both nations and the world especially between two adversarial nations was a remarkable achievement that was not demonstrated on a great scale throughout the Cold War. This foreshadowed an eventual end to the Cold War and the arm ideological conflict that had been going on for almost half a century.