Mikhail Gorbachev was the eighth and final leader of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 to 1991. He was the youngest member of the Politburo when he became General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1985. He initiated a series of reforms known as glasnost ("openness") and perestroika ("restructuring") that ultimately led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Gorbachev was born in Privolnoye, Stavropol Krai, Russia, on March 2, 1931. He studied law at Moscow State University and worked as a lawyer in Stavropol before entering politics. He was elected to the Supreme Soviet in 1970 and became a member of the Politburo in 1980.
Gorbachev's reforms were met with resistance from hardliners in the Communist Party, but he persisted. He opened up the Soviet Union to greater freedom of speech and information, and he began to dismantle the centrally planned economy. These reforms led to a period of economic and political turmoil in the Soviet Union, but they also helped to create the conditions for the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his efforts to promote peace and disarmament. He resigned as General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1991 and as President of the Soviet Union in 1991. He has since retired from politics and lives in Moscow.
Gorbachev is a controversial figure. Some people believe that he was a great leader who helped to bring about the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Others believe that he was a weak leader who presided over the decline and collapse of the Soviet Union.
However, there is no doubt that Gorbachev was a significant figure in 20th century history. His reforms helped to change the course of history, and he will be remembered as one of the most important leaders of the Cold War era.
