demokratizatsiya

Soviet government policy

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June 25, 2026

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The term "demokratizatsiya" refers to the process of democratization within the Soviet Union, a policy instituted by Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s. This policy aimed to introduce open discussion of political and social issues, a concept known as glasnost.1

Key aspects of this democratization included:
* Reducing the power of the Communist Party.1
* Introducing multicandidate elections.1
* Allowing criticism of government officials.1
* Granting the media greater freedom in disseminating news and information.1

Democratization was part of a broader reform program, perestroika, which sought to restructure the Soviet economic and political system. The ultimate goal was to make the Soviet system more efficient, though it ultimately contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.234

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Russia
Government and society
(“restructuring”), glasnost (“openness”), and demokratizatsiya (“democratization”) reform policies—fundamental changes took place in the political system and government structures of the Soviet Union that altered both the nature of the Soviet federal state and the status and powers of the individual republics. In 1988 the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies…
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(“restructuring”), glasnost (“openness”), and demokratizatsiya (“democratization”) reform policies—fundamental changes took place in the political system and government structures of the Soviet Union that altered both the nature of the Soviet federal state and the status and powers of the individual republics. In 1988 the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies…
Read More