Glasnost facts for kids

Glasnost (say "GLAS-nost") was a big change in the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It was a new rule that meant the government had to be more open and honest about what it was doing. Think of it like opening the curtains so everyone could see inside.

This idea was started by Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the leader of the Soviet Union at the time. Glasnost is often talked about with another big change he made called Perestroika, which meant "restructuring" or reorganizing things. The word "glasnost" has been used in the Russian language for a long time, even before Gorbachev.

What Glasnost Meant

Glasnost was all about making things more transparent. Before Glasnost, the Soviet government often kept many things secret from its people. There was a lot of censorship, meaning the government controlled what people could read, watch, or hear.

Opening Up the Government

Mikhail Gorbachev wanted Glasnost to help reduce corruption in the government. He also wanted to stop people in power from abusing their authority. A famous Russian human rights activist named Lyudmila Alexeyeva explained that "glasnost" was an ordinary word. It meant that any process, like justice or government actions, should be done in the open for everyone to see.

More Freedom and Information

Glasnost also led to a special time in the history of the Soviet Union during the 1980s. During this period, there was much less censorship. People had greater freedom to get information and to speak their minds. This meant that newspapers could report more freely, and people could talk about problems without as much fear. It was a big step towards more openness and honesty in the country.