Book Review: Mikhail Gorbachev: The Soviet Innovator by Steve Otfinoski

 

This biography of Mikhail Gorbachev by Steven Otfinoski is of the series produced by Great Lives. It starts with the early life of Gorbachev to his rise to power, and the challenges which he faces as a leader of the Soviet Union. The soviet leader was son of a peasant born in 1931, in the Stavropol territory. His father wanted his son to acquire good education. Gorbachev got into law school at Moscow State University. He married a lady named Raisa in early 1954 in senior year. After completing his education Gorbachev and his wife returned to Stavropol. He remained for twenty-three years at this place. Gorbachev worked for the party and gradually made his way up the party ranks.

On Andropov’s insistence during Brezhnev’s time, Gorbachev got a chance to become the twentieth most powerful man in the country at the age of forty-seven. After Brezhnev’s death Andropov took over and provided more working opportunity for Gorbachev as he had trust in him. They retired old politicians and replaced them with young blood. They dispensed more power to regional and local leaders. Moreover, they introduced western technology into soviet industry. Gorbachev got the opportunity to travel to other countries which include France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Belgium and Great Britain. This provided him opportunity to learn more from other countries.

In Feb 1984 Andropov died of kidney failure. In March 1985 Chernenko passed way without changing much as he was one of the last old guards who tried to hold together the Soviet Union of Joseph Stalin. Gorbachev was chosen as the General Secretary by the Central Committee. Gorbachev removed corrupt and lazy party leaders. He launched an anti-drinking campaign. Later he introduced Perestroika (restructuring in Russian) and glasnost (openness in Russian). Ligachev and Yeltsin now emerged as heading two different groups within the political system. Ligachev was head of the conservatives and Yeltsin of the opposite camp who grew frustrated at the slowness of reform. Here Gorbachev very skillfully comforted the conservatives and encouraged his fellow reformers.

As far as foreign policy is concerned in November 1985 Gorbachev met Ronald Regan in Geneva. In September 1986 they met again, but this time in Iceland. In December 1987 Gorbachevs arrived in Washington for four days. Regans visited Moscow in June 1988. In December 1988 Gorbachev spoke before the General Assembly in New York. George Bush was the vice-president at that time. A 6.9 earthquake had struck Armenia in Soviet Union. Gorbachevs had to cancel his trips to Cuba and the Great Britain. Thy flew back home.

A chapter titled ‘The Road Ahead’ presents the key to future challenges. The author of the book suggests that ‘energy, political wisdom, and statesmanship' would be required to manage problems in the future. At times the author presents Gorbachev as the only intelligent soviet leader since Soviet Union's inception. The reader of this book would surely manage to dissect this short reading.