Perestroika facts for kids
Perestroika (say "peh-reh-STROY-kuh") is a Russian word that means "restructuring." It was a set of big changes made to the way the economy worked in the Soviet Union. The leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, started these changes in 1986. This happened just a few years before the Soviet Union broke apart into 15 different countries. Many people believe that Perestroika was a main reason why the Soviet Union ended. It happened around the same time as another of Gorbachev's reforms called "glasnost" (say "GLAHZ-nohst"), which meant the government became more open and less secret.
The Soviet Union was a communist country. This meant the government controlled almost everything in the economy. People did not own their own land or businesses. Under Perestroika, some people were allowed to start their own small businesses. Gorbachev hoped Perestroika would help fix the Soviet economy, which was having many problems. However, in the end, these changes could not save the country's economy.
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What Was Perestroika?
Perestroika was a plan to change the Soviet Union's economy. Before Perestroika, the government decided everything. It told factories what to make and farms what to grow. There was very little private ownership. This system had led to many problems, like shortages of goods and slow growth.
Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to make the economy work better. He believed that by allowing some private businesses and more freedom, the Soviet Union could become stronger. The idea was to "restructure" the old system.
Why Was Perestroika Needed?
By the 1980s, the Soviet economy was struggling. There were not enough goods in stores, and the quality of products was often poor. Factories were old, and new technologies were not being used. The government's strict control made it hard for businesses to be creative or efficient.
Gorbachev saw that the country needed big changes to survive. He hoped Perestroika would bring new energy and ideas to the economy. He wanted to improve the lives of ordinary people in the Soviet Union.
How Did Perestroika Change Things?
Perestroika brought several key changes:
- More private businesses: For the first time, some people could open small private businesses, like cafes or repair shops. This was a big step away from the old communist system.
- Factories had more freedom: State-owned factories were given more control over what they produced. They could also decide how to sell their goods.
- Foreign trade: The Soviet Union tried to increase trade with other countries. This was meant to bring in new goods and technologies.
- Less government control: The government started to loosen its grip on some parts of the economy. This was a major shift from how things had been for decades.
What Happened Next?
Even with these changes, Perestroika faced many challenges. The economy did not improve quickly enough. People were used to the old system, and many did not know how to work in a new way. There were also problems with prices going up and some goods becoming even harder to find.
The changes of Perestroika, along with Glasnost (which brought more openness and freedom of speech), led to unexpected results. People started to demand even more freedom. They questioned the government and the communist system itself. This growing unrest, combined with the failing economy, played a big part in the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Other pages
History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)
Images for kids
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A young boy and Ronald Reagan in Red Square, Moscow, 1988
See also
In Spanish: Perestroika para niños
