| − | '''Perestroika''' ([[Russian]]: перестройка), which means "restructuring", was a new policy introduced by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] in the [[Soviet Union]] to allow the people to own small businesses. Gorbachev tried to transform the stagnant, inefficient command economy into a decentralized, market-oriented economy. Under ''perestroika'', more people were allowed to participate in elections for Communist party bosses, and industrial managers were granted greater autonomy. It also contributed to the complete collapse of the [[Soviet Union]]. See also ''[[glasnost]]'', its social and cultural counterpart. | + | '''Perestroika''' ([[Russian]]: перестройка), which means "restructuring", was a new policy introduced by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] in the [[Soviet Union]] to allow the people to own small businesses. Gorbachev tried to transform the stagnant, inefficient command economy into a decentralized, market-oriented economy. Under ''perestroika'', more people were allowed to participate in elections for Communist party bosses, and Communist party industrial managers were granted greater autonomy from Moscow central control. It also contributed to the complete collapse of the [[Soviet Union]]. See also ''[[glasnost]]'', its social and cultural counterpart. |