Mikhail Gorbachev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mikhail Gorbachev
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Михаил Горбачёв
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Gorbachev in 1987
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| General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 11 March 1985 – 24 August 1991 |
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| Premier | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Vladimir Ivashko | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Konstantin Chernenko | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Vladimir Ivashko (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| President of the Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 15 March 1990 – 25 December 1991 |
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| Vice President | Gennady Yanayev | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Office established;
Himself as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet
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| Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 May 1989 – 15 March 1990 |
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| Deputy | Anatoly Lukyanov | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by |
Himself as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
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| Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 October 1988 – 25 May 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Andrei Gromyko | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by |
Himself as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 March 1931 Privolnoye, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Privolnoye, Stavropol Krai, Russia) |
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| Died | 30 August 2022 (aged 91) Moscow, Russia |
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| Resting place | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Moscow State University (LLB) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Nobel Peace Prize (1990) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  |
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Central institution membership
1980–1991: Full member, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Politburo
1979–1980: Candidate member, 25th Politburo 1978–1991: Member, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Secretariat 1971–1991: Full member, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Central Committee Other offices held
2001–2004: Chairman, Social Democratic Party of Russia
1985–1991: Chairman, Defense Council 1970–1978: First Secretary, Stavropol Regional Committee
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Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician. He was the eighth and final leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until it broke apart in 1991. He held several important roles, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the only President of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev was born in a poor farming family in Privolnoye, Russia. He grew up during the time of Joseph Stalin. In his youth, he worked on a collective farm. He later joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which was the only ruling party in the Soviet Union. He studied law at Moscow State University and married Raisa Titarenko in 1953.
After university, he worked in Stavropol and supported the reforms of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. He rose through the ranks of the Communist Party. In 1985, he was chosen as the General Secretary, making him the de facto (actual) leader of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev wanted to save the Soviet Union, but he believed it needed big changes. He pulled troops out of the Soviet war in Afghanistan. He also met with U.S. President Ronald Reagan to reduce nuclear weapons and end the Cold War. Inside the Soviet Union, he introduced glasnost ("openness"), which allowed more freedom of speech and press. His policy of perestroika ("restructuring") aimed to improve the economy.
His efforts to make the country more democratic weakened the one-party system. He did not use military force when countries in Eastern Europe changed their governments in 1989. Inside the Soviet Union, growing feelings of nationalism threatened to break it apart. In 1991, some hardline Communist Party members tried to overthrow him in a coup, but it failed. After the coup, the Soviet Union broke up, even though Gorbachev did not want it to.
After leaving office, he started the Gorbachev Foundation. He became a critic of later Russian presidents, Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Many people see Gorbachev as a very important figure of the late 20th century. He received the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Cold War and bringing more freedom to the Soviet Union. However, some in Russia blame him for the Soviet Union's collapse.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, in a village called Privolnoye. This village was in the Soviet Union. His family was poor and worked as peasants. His father's family was Russian, and his mother's family was Ukrainian. His parents named him Viktor, but his religious mother insisted he be secretly baptized Mikhail.
The Soviet Union was ruled by the Communist Party. Joseph Stalin was the leader when Gorbachev was a child. Stalin had started a plan to combine all small farms into large "collective farms" (called kolkhozes). Gorbachev's maternal grandfather joined the Communist Party and helped start the first collective farm in their village.
The country faced a terrible famine in the early 1930s, and some of Gorbachev's relatives died. Then came the Great Purge, where many people were arrested and sent to labor camps called Gulags. Both of Gorbachev's grandfathers were arrested and spent time in these camps. His maternal grandfather told him about being tortured by the secret police, which affected young Mikhail.
School Days and Hard Work
When World War II started in 1939, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. German forces occupied Privolnoye for a few months in 1942. Gorbachev's father joined the army and fought in the war. He was even mistakenly reported as dead but later returned home injured.
Gorbachev returned to school in 1944 and was an excellent student. He loved to read many different books. In 1946, he joined the Komsomol, which was the Soviet youth organization. He became a leader in his local Komsomol group.
For five summers, starting in 1946, he helped his father operate a combine harvester. They often worked very long hours. In 1948, they harvested a huge amount of grain. For this achievement, his father received a high award, and Mikhail received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, a special medal for his hard work.
University Life in Moscow
In June 1950, Gorbachev became a candidate member of the Communist Party. He also applied to study law at Moscow State University (MSU), which was the best university in the country. He was accepted without an exam, likely because of his working-class background and his medal. At 19, he traveled to Moscow for the first time.
At MSU, Gorbachev lived in a dormitory with other students. He worked very hard and was known for being outspoken in class. He became the Komsomol leader for his class. In 1952, he became a full member of the Communist Party. He was supposed to watch other students for any signs of disloyalty, but some friends said he did this minimally and kept secrets.
He met Raisa Titarenko at MSU, who was studying philosophy. They started a relationship and married on September 25, 1953. In June 1955, Gorbachev graduated with honors. He wanted to stay in Moscow, but he got a job in Stavropol, and Raisa moved there with him.
Early Political Career
Rising Through the Ranks
In August 1955, Gorbachev began working in Stavropol. He soon transferred to work for Komsomol, helping to improve life in local villages. He and Raisa rented a small room and later moved into a shared apartment. Their daughter, Irina, was born in 1957.
Nikita Khrushchev became the Soviet leader after Stalin. Khrushchev spoke out against Stalin's harsh rule and started a process called de-Stalinization. Gorbachev supported these anti-Stalinist reforms. He believed in a "genuine Marxism" that was different from Stalin's harsh rule.
Gorbachev steadily moved up in the local government. He was seen as reliable and was good at working with his superiors. In September 1956, he became First Secretary of Stavropol city's Komsomol. By 1968, he was frustrated with the slow pace of reforms. However, in August 1968, he became the Second Secretary of the Stavropol region, making him the second most powerful person there.
Visiting Other Countries
Gorbachev was allowed to travel to other Communist countries in Eastern Europe. In 1966, he visited East Germany. In 1968, the Soviet Union led an invasion of Czechoslovakia to stop political changes there. Gorbachev publicly supported the invasion, though he later said he had private concerns.
In April 1970, Gorbachev became the First Secretary of the Stavropol region, giving him significant power. He was only 39, much younger than previous leaders in that role. This position also made him a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1971, joining the Party's top leaders.
His main job was to increase farm production. He oversaw the building of the Great Stavropol Canal to help with irrigation. He also built good relationships with important figures in Moscow, like Yuri Andropov, who later became a Soviet leader.
Gorbachev also traveled to Western Europe, visiting Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany, and France. He was surprised by how openly people in Western Europe spoke their minds and criticized their leaders, which was very different from the Soviet Union. These trips made him question his belief that the Soviet system was better than Western democracies.
Becoming the Soviet Leader
Joining the Central Committee
In November 1978, Gorbachev was appointed a Secretary of the Central Committee, which meant he and Raisa moved to Moscow. They were given a dacha (country house) and access to special shops and services, like other top politicians. Gorbachev often worked long hours in his new role.
He was put in charge of agriculture. The harvests were poor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the country had to import more grain. Gorbachev began to think the farming system was too controlled by Moscow and needed more local decision-making. In December 1979, the Soviet Union sent troops into Afghanistan. Gorbachev privately thought this was a mistake.
In October 1980, he was promoted to a full member of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body in the Communist Party. At 49, he was the youngest member.
The Path to Leadership
After Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev died in 1982, Yuri Andropov became the new General Secretary. Gorbachev became Andropov's closest ally in the Politburo. Andropov encouraged Gorbachev to get involved in more policy areas, preparing him for a higher position.
In April 1983, Gorbachev gave an important speech about Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union. This made him re-read Lenin's writings, which strengthened his belief that reforms were needed. In May 1983, he visited Canada and met Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. There, he became friends with Aleksandr Yakovlev, who would become a key ally.
Andropov died in February 1984. He wanted Gorbachev to be his successor, but many in the Central Committee thought Gorbachev was too young. Instead, Konstantin Chernenko became General Secretary, but he was very ill. Gorbachev often had to lead Politburo meetings.
In December 1984, Gorbachev visited Britain and met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She saw him as a potential reformer and said, "I like Mr. Gorbachev. We can do business together." This visit helped show that Gorbachev wanted to improve relations with the United States.
Becoming General Secretary
On March 10, 1985, Chernenko died. The Politburo quickly and unanimously elected Gorbachev as the new General Secretary. He became the eighth leader of the Soviet Union. Most people in the government did not expect him to be such a radical reformer. The public was relieved to have a younger, healthier leader.
Gorbachev's leadership style was different. He would talk to people on the street and encouraged open discussions in Politburo meetings. In the West, he was seen as a more moderate leader. His wife, Raisa, also played a public role, which was unusual for a Soviet leader's wife.
Gorbachev worked to get supporters into the Politburo. He encouraged older members to retire and promoted his allies, like Eduard Shevardnadze and Aleksandr Yakovlev. He also promoted Boris Yeltsin to a high position in Moscow. Within a year, Gorbachev had strong control over the Politburo.
Big Changes in the Soviet Union
Domestic Reforms: Glasnost and Perestroika
Gorbachev often used the term perestroika ("restructuring"). He saw it as a plan to reform society and the economy. He was worried about the country's low productivity and poor quality goods. He feared the Soviet Union was falling behind other powerful nations.
The first part of perestroika was uskoreniye ("acceleration"). Gorbachev wanted to speed up industrial production to catch up with the United States by the year 2000. He tried to improve farming, but it was difficult.
Gorbachev wanted to improve the existing planned economy, not switch to a market economy. He believed that state-owned businesses, if given more freedom, would work better. He also introduced gospriyomka (state acceptance of production) for quality control. He allowed collective farms to sell some of their produce directly to shops. He also suggested bringing back some market ideas, like Lenin's New Economic Policy from the 1920s, but stressed it was not a return to capitalism.
In his second year as leader, Gorbachev started talking about glasnost ("openness"). This meant more openness in government and allowing different views in the press and culture. He encouraged reformers to take important media jobs. He also freed famous dissidents, like Andrei Sakharov, from exile. Gorbachev believed glasnost was needed for perestroika to work. It was popular among intellectuals but worried many hardline Communist Party members.
The Chernobyl disaster in April 1986 was a turning point. Officials initially gave Gorbachev wrong information to downplay it. As the true scale of the disaster became clear, 336,000 people were moved from the area. Gorbachev spoke to the nation on TV, using the disaster to show problems like poor workmanship in Soviet society. This event made him realize the extent of incompetence and cover-ups.
Foreign Policy: Ending the Cold War
Gorbachev wanted to change Soviet foreign policy. A big problem was the Soviet war in Afghanistan. The Soviet army was losing many soldiers, and there was public opposition to the war. Gorbachev made withdrawing troops a top priority. The last troops left Afghanistan in February 1989.
The Cold War was very tense when Gorbachev took power. He strongly believed in improving relations with the United States. He was terrified of nuclear war and knew the Soviet Union could not win the arms race. He thought too much military spending was hurting his plans for domestic reforms.
Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan agreed to hold a summit in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 1985. They discussed reducing nuclear weapons and ending proxy conflicts. The summit ended with a promise to avoid nuclear war and to meet again.
In January 1986, Gorbachev proposed a plan to get rid of all nuclear weapons by the end of the century. He met Reagan again in Reykjavík, Iceland, in October 1986. Gorbachev wanted to stop the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a missile defense system. They agreed on the goal of getting rid of nuclear weapons, but Reagan refused to stop SDI, so no deal was made.
Gorbachev also wanted better relations with China. In June 1985, he signed a large trade agreement with China. In July 1986, he suggested reducing troops along the Soviet-Chinese border. He also wanted the Soviet Union to join the Asian Development Bank and have stronger ties with Pacific countries.
Further Reforms and Challenges
More Openness and New Elections
In January 1987, Gorbachev continued to push for perestroika and democratization. He considered allowing multi-party elections but decided against it for then. He focused on economic reform, trying to give state-owned businesses more control. However, economic problems continued, with shortages of basic goods and rising prices. This led to miners' strikes in 1989.
By 1987, glasnost was widespread. Journalists wrote more openly, and many economic problems were revealed. Soviet history was also re-examined critically. Gorbachev supported this, calling glasnost "the crucial, irreplaceable weapon of perestroika." He also allowed more religious freedom. Jewish people who wanted to move to Israel were allowed to do so.
In 1988, Gorbachev held the 19th Party Conference. He wanted to gain more support for his reforms by having more people attend. He proposed creating a new body called the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union. Its members would be elected in mostly free elections. This Congress would then elect a smaller USSR Supreme Soviet to do most of the lawmaking.
In March and April 1989, elections for the new Congress were held. Many reformers, including Sakharov and Yeltsin, were elected. Gorbachev was happy with the result. He was then elected chair of the Congress, becoming the new head of state. The Congress meetings were shown live on TV, and members openly debated issues.
Relations with the West and China
Gorbachev worked to improve relations with the UK, France, and West Germany. He hoped for more cooperation across Europe, speaking of a "Common European Home". He had good relationships with leaders like Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterrand. In June 1989, he visited West Germany and met with Chancellor Helmut Kohl. In November 1989, he also visited Italy and met Pope John Paul II.
He continued to improve relations with China. In May 1989, he visited Beijing and met with its leader Deng Xiaoping. During his visit, pro-democracy students gathered in Tiananmen Square. After Gorbachev left, troops attacked the protesters. Gorbachev did not publicly condemn the attack, but it strengthened his resolve not to use violence against pro-democracy protests in Eastern Europe.
In December 1987, Gorbachev visited Washington D.C., where he and Reagan signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. This agreement reduced nuclear missiles. It was a major achievement for Gorbachev. A second U.S.-Soviet summit happened in Moscow in May–June 1988. Reagan and Gorbachev discussed issues and agreed on further arms control. They even said they considered each other friends.
In December 1989, Gorbachev met U.S. President George H. W. Bush at the Malta Summit. Gorbachev announced a large reduction in Soviet armed forces. He also said 50,000 troops would leave Central and Eastern Europe. This was a big step towards ending the Cold War.
Changes in Eastern Europe and Soviet Republics
Gorbachev rejected the Brezhnev Doctrine, which said the Soviet Union could use military force in other Communist countries. In December 1987, he announced the withdrawal of 500,000 Soviet troops from Central and Eastern Europe. He hoped to lead by example, not by force.
In 1989, many Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe held multi-party elections and changed their governments. Most of these changes happened peacefully. In November 1989, the East German government allowed its citizens to cross the Berlin Wall, a decision Gorbachev praised. Much of the wall was later torn down.
Neither Gorbachev nor Western leaders initially wanted Germany to reunite quickly. However, in 1990, Germany was reunified. Many people saw this as the end of the Cold War.
Inside the Soviet Union, different national groups also started to demand more freedom. In 1986, riots broke out in Kazakhstan. In 1987, Crimean Tatars protested to return to Crimea, from where they had been forced out by Stalin. In 1988, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh asked to be transferred from Azerbaijan to Armenia. This led to violence between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Gorbachev tried to find a political solution but refused the transfer, fearing it would cause more ethnic tensions across the Soviet Union.
In April 1989, Soviet troops crushed pro-independence protests in Tbilisi, Georgia, leading to deaths. Independence movements also grew strong in the Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia). In August 1989, protesters formed the Baltic Way, a human chain across the three countries, showing their desire for independence.
The Soviet Union Breaks Apart
Presidency and Growing Challenges
In February 1990, both reformers and hardline Communists criticized Gorbachev. To protect his position, Gorbachev decided to create a new role: President of the Soviet Union. He arranged for the election to be held by the Congress of People's Deputies, not a public vote, as he feared losing a popular election.
In March 1990, Gorbachev became the first executive President of the Soviet Union. He was the only candidate and was elected by the Congress. He also removed Article 6 from the Soviet constitution, which had made the Communist Party the official "ruling party." This weakened the one-party system.
In the 1990 elections for the Russian parliament, an alliance of reformers called "Democratic Russia" did well. Boris Yeltsin was elected as the parliament's chair, which Gorbachev was unhappy about. By 1990, opinion polls showed Yeltsin was more popular than Gorbachev.
German Reunification and Gulf War
In January 1990, Gorbachev privately agreed to let East and West Germany reunite. He initially did not want a unified Germany to be part of NATO. However, in May 1990, he agreed that an independent Germany could choose its alliances. In July, he told Chancellor Kohl that the Soviets would not oppose a reunified Germany joining NATO. This angered his critics in the Soviet Union, who felt he was betraying national interests.
In August 1990, Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Kuwait. Gorbachev supported President Bush's condemnation of the invasion. This was criticized by some in the Soviet government who saw Hussein as an ally. However, Gorbachev argued that Iraq was clearly the aggressor. The Soviets supported a UN resolution allowing force to remove the Iraqi army from Kuwait. Gorbachev called this a "watershed" moment, as it was the first time the U.S. and Soviet Union worked together in a regional crisis.
In October 1990, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was pleased but also felt "mixed feelings" because many Soviet citizens disapproved of the award, seeing it as a Western award.
The August Coup and Final Collapse
In July 1990, at the 28th Communist Party Congress, hardliners criticized Gorbachev, but he was re-elected party leader. He tried to compromise with reformers by creating the "500 Days" program, which called for more economic freedom and some privatization. However, this plan was abandoned due to strong opposition.
By late 1990, many in the press were calling for Gorbachev to resign. He was becoming isolated from his former allies. His approval ratings dropped.
In January 1991, Soviet troops attacked protesters in Vilnius, Lithuania, killing 15 people. Gorbachev denied ordering the attack, but many blamed him. Yeltsin called for his resignation. Fearing more unrest, Gorbachev banned demonstrations and ordered troops to patrol cities.
To save the Soviet Union, Gorbachev and the leaders of nine Soviet republics agreed to prepare a new treaty to renew the federation. However, six republics—Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia—did not support this. A referendum on the issue showed 76.4% in favor of keeping the federation, but the six rebellious republics did not participate.
In August 1991, while Gorbachev was on holiday in Crimea, a group of hardline Communist Party figures, known as the "Gang of Eight", launched a coup d'état. They called themselves the State Committee on the State of Emergency. They cut off his phone lines and demanded he declare a state of emergency, but he refused. Gorbachev and his family were kept under house arrest. The coup leaders announced that Gorbachev was ill and the Vice President would take over.
Yeltsin, now President of the Russian Republic, rallied against the coup in Moscow. Tens of thousands of protesters surrounded the Moscow White House to protect him. The coup leaders realized they lacked support and ended their efforts. On August 21, Gorbachev returned to Moscow and thanked Yeltsin and the protesters. He then resigned as General Secretary of the Communist Party and called for the Central Committee to dissolve.
After the coup, the Supreme Soviet suspended all Communist Party activity, effectively ending Communist rule. The Soviet Union then collapsed very quickly.
The End of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev tried to create a new union treaty to keep the country together, but leaders of various Soviet republics wanted more independence. Yeltsin wanted a loose confederation with little central power. Only Kazakhstan and Kirghizia supported Gorbachev's idea of a unified state.
The referendum in Ukraine on December 1, where 90% voted for independence, was a fatal blow. Gorbachev had hoped Ukrainians would reject independence.
Without Gorbachev's knowledge, Yeltsin and the leaders of Ukraine and Belarus met on December 8. They signed the Belavezha Accords, which declared that the Soviet Union no longer existed and formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Gorbachev was furious when he found out.
On December 20, leaders of 11 of the 12 remaining republics signed the Alma-Ata Protocol, agreeing to dismantle the Soviet Union and establish the CIS. They also accepted Gorbachev's resignation.
Gorbachev reached a deal with Yeltsin to formally announce his resignation on December 25. He gave a televised speech from the Kremlin, saying, "I hereby discontinue my activities at the post of President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics." He expressed sadness for the breakup but highlighted his achievements: political and religious freedom, the end of totalitarianism, the start of democracy and a market economy, and the end of the arms race and Cold War. The next day, on December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist.
Life After the Presidency
Post-Soviet Years
After leaving office, Gorbachev spent more time with his family. He launched his International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies in March 1992. The foundation aimed to analyze and publish information on perestroika and to monitor life in post-Soviet Russia.
To fund his foundation, Gorbachev began giving lectures around the world, charging high fees. He visited Japan, the U.S., Spain, Israel, and Germany, where he was often praised for his role in German reunification. He also appeared in commercials, including one for Pizza Hut, to help keep his foundation going. With his wife's help, he wrote his memoirs, published in 1995.
In 1993, Gorbachev started Green Cross International, focusing on sustainable futures. He also initiated the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.
Gorbachev soon began criticizing Yeltsin's policies, especially after price caps were lifted, causing high inflation and poverty. He continued to defend perestroika but admitted he made mistakes as leader. He believed Russia was moving towards democracy, but it would take decades.
His wife, Raisa, focused on children's charities. In 1997, she founded Raisa Maksimovna's Club to help women in Russia. In 1999, Raisa was diagnosed with leukemia and died in Germany. After her death, Gorbachev's daughter and granddaughters moved in with him. He said he would never remarry.
1996 Presidential Campaign
Gorbachev decided to run in the 1996 Russian presidential election, even though his family and friends advised against it. He didn't want the election to be only between Yeltsin and the Communist Party candidate. He hoped to form a centrist group. He announced his candidacy in March and campaigned across Russia. However, he faced protests and obstacles from local officials. In the election, Gorbachev came seventh, with about 0.5% of the votes.
Later Years and Passing
In December 1999, Yeltsin resigned, and Vladimir Putin became president. Gorbachev initially welcomed Putin, seeing him as a force for stability. He became co-chair of the "Petersburg Dialogue" project between Russians and Germans.
In 2000, Gorbachev helped form the Russian United Social Democratic Party. He later resigned as party leader in 2004 due to disagreements. In 2007, he founded a new movement, the Union of Social Democrats.
Gorbachev was critical of U.S. foreign policy after the Cold War. He argued that the U.S. did not want Russia to rise again as a global power. He rejected the idea that the U.S. "won" the Cold War, saying both sides worked to end it. He criticized NATO's expansion towards Russia's borders and the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In 2009, Gorbachev released an album of Russian romantic ballads, Songs for Raisa, to raise money for his late wife's charity. He also met with U.S. President Barack Obama. In 2011, a gala was held in London for his 80th birthday.
Gorbachev opposed Putin running for president again in 2012. He felt Putin's policies were making Russia less free.
In 2014, he defended Russia's annexation of Crimea. He argued that the people of Crimea had not been asked when it was transferred to Ukraine in 1954, but they were asked in the 2014 referendum. Ukraine later banned him from entering the country.
Gorbachev warned that the war in Donbas (Eastern Ukraine) could lead to a new Cold War. He criticized both sides for violating ceasefires. He also criticized NATO for deploying more troops to Eastern Europe. In 2018, he welcomed a summit between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. He criticized Trump's threat to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, saying all nuclear disarmament agreements must be kept.
After the January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021, Gorbachev said the attack was planned and questioned the future of the U.S. as a nation. In December 2021, he said the U.S. became "arrogant" after the Soviet Union's collapse, leading to NATO expansion.
Gorbachev did not publicly comment on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, his foundation called for an early end to hostilities. His close friends said he was very upset by the war and believed Putin had "destroyed his life's work."
His Ideas and Legacy
Gorbachev's ideas changed over time. When he was young, he was a Stalinist, but he also thought deeply about Marxism. After Stalin's death, his beliefs became less rigid.
When he became leader, many thought the Soviet Union was declining. Gorbachev believed the Communist Party needed to adapt, just as Lenin had adapted the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. He moved away from the idea of class struggle and instead focused on coordinating the interests of all people.
Gorbachev wanted to reduce the military's power at home and end costly imperialism abroad. He was committed to democracy, which made him different from previous Soviet leaders. He also came to see socialism as a goal in itself, not just a step towards communism.
His policy of perestroika was complex and changed over time. It started as a way to reform the economy and motivate workers. Later, he considered using market ideas, but the state sector would still be dominant. While he wanted to improve the existing system, perestroika ultimately led to its end. He brought an end to state socialism in the Soviet Union and opened the way for democracy.
Even after the Soviet Union fell, Gorbachev continued to believe in socialism. He insisted that true socialism must be democratic. He believed in gradual reform, calling it a "revolution by evolutionary means." By 1989 or 1990, he had become more of a social democrat.
Later Years and Passing
Health Decline
For several years before his death, Gorbachev suffered from severe diabetes. He had many surgeries and spent time in the hospital. In April 2011, he had spinal surgery in Germany. He was hospitalized for examinations in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In November 2016, he had a pacemaker installed and also had eye surgery for cataracts.
His hospital visits became more frequent in 2019. In December, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. By early 2020, he was under constant medical supervision. His condition worsened in July 2022 with kidney problems, requiring hemodialysis. Before his death, he had four more operations, lost a lot of weight, and could no longer walk. He was receiving palliative care.
Death and Funeral
Mikhail Gorbachev died at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow on August 30, 2022, at the age of 91. The hospital stated he died after a "severe and prolonged illness."
His funeral was held on September 3, 2022, in the Column Hall of the House of Unions. It included an honor guard but was not an official state funeral. Russian President Vladimir Putin paid his respects to Gorbachev on September 1 at the hospital but did not attend the funeral due to his schedule. Gorbachev was buried on the same day at Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetery, next to his wife Raisa, as he had wished.
Reactions to His Death
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences, calling Gorbachev "a politician and statesman who had a huge impact on the course of world history." Other reactions in Russia were mixed. The leader of Russia's Communist Party said Gorbachev's rule brought "sadness, misfortune and problems." Naina Yeltsina, the widow of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin, said Gorbachev "sincerely wanted to change the Soviet system."
Many international leaders praised Gorbachev. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice all paid tribute. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called him a "one-of-a-kind statesman who changed the course of history." Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III said history would remember him as a "giant who steered his great nation towards democracy."
Queen Elizabeth II stated that "through his courage and vision, he gained the admiration, affection and respect of the British people." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Gorbachev "helped bring an end to the Cold War." French President Emmanuel Macron called him "a man of peace whose choices opened up a path of liberty for Russians." U.S. President Joe Biden called Gorbachev "a man of remarkable vision."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Gorbachev's role in reuniting Germany. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, said he completely changed her life and the world.
Awards and Honors
Gorbachev received many awards during and after his time as leader. In 1988, India gave him the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. In 1990, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the peace process and ending the Cold War.
After leaving office, he continued to receive honors. In 1992, he was the first person to receive the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award. In 1995, he received the Grand-Cross of the Order of Liberty from Portugal. In 1998, he received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 2004, Gorbachev, along with Bill Clinton and Sophia Loren, won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for their recording of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. In 2005, he received the Point Alpha Prize for his role in German reunification. In 2011, he was awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called by then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Images for kids
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Gorbachev and his Ukrainian maternal grandparents, late 1930s
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Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader whose anti-Stalinist reforms Gorbachev supported
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Gorbachev on a visit to East Germany in 1966
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Part of the Great Stavropol Canal constructed under Gorbachev's regional leadership
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Gorbachev was skeptical of the deployment of Soviet troops in Afghanistan (pictured here in 1986)
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In April 1983, Gorbachev gave a speech marking the birthday of Lenin (pictured), founder of the Soviet Union.
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Gorbachev in November 1985 at a summit in Geneva, Switzerland
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Gorbachev at the Brandenburg Gate in April 1986 during a visit to East Germany
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U.S. President Reagan and Gorbachev meeting in Iceland in 1986.
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Gorbachev with Erich Honecker of East Germany.
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Gorbachev speaking in 1987
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Gorbachev's visit to Vilnius in 1990 in an attempt to stop Lithuania's declaration of independence which passed two months later
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Gorbachev and his wife Raisa on a trip to Poland in 1988
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Gorbachev in one-to-one discussions with Reagan at a summit in Geneva, Switzerland, 19 November 1985
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Reagan and Gorbachev with wives (Nancy and Raisa, respectively) attending a dinner at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, 9 December 1987
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Gorbachev meeting the Romanian Marxist–Leninist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu in 1985.
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Berlin Wall, "Thank you, Gorbi!", October 1990
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Gorbachev addressing the United Nations General Assembly in December 1988.
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In September 1990, Gorbachev met repeatedly with U.S. President George Bush at the Helsinki Summit
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Anti-Armenian and anti-government Dushanbe riots in Soviet Tajikistan, 1990
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Mikhail Gorbachev and Nursultan Nazarbayev at Kokchetav Airport in 1991
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Tens of thousands of anti-coup protesters surrounding the White House
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Leaders of the Soviet Republics sign the Belovezha Accords which eliminated the USSR and established the Commonwealth of Independent States, 1991
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Changes in national boundaries after the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991
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Gorbachev visiting Reagan, at Rancho del Cielo in 1992
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Gorbachev with President of Argentina Carlos Menem in 1999
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Gorbachev, daughter Irina and his wife's sister Lyudmila at the funeral of Raisa, 1999
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Gorbachev attended the Inauguration of Vladimir Putin in May 2000
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Gorbachev (right) being introduced to U.S. President Barack Obama by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, March 2009.
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Gorbachev in Moscow on 9 May 2019, receiving assistance in walking
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Body of Mikhail Gorbachev lying in state at the House of Unions
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Former US president Ronald Reagan awards the first Ronald Reagan Freedom Award to Gorbachev at the Reagan Library, 4 May 1992
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The official Soviet portrait of Gorbachev.
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Gorbachev at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, 16 June 1992
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See also
In Spanish: Mijaíl Gorbachov para niños
