Gorbachev granted glasnost (right to talk about things) not intending communism to collapse but rather to strengthen communism and the Soviet Union; by unleashing free speech he 'let the genie out of the bottle' and lost control of the reform process.
causalpending
Speaker
Martin SixsmithEvidence Quote
“Gorbachev sort of took the shackles off um and granted the people the right of glasnos the right to talk about things he didn't want communism to collapse he wanted to strengthen communism he wanted to strengthen the Soviet Union but he you know in the sort of old cliches he'd let the genie out of the bottle”
Source
How The West Can Stop Putin, with Exiled Critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky | Intelligence Squared— Intelligence SquaredCreated: 8/10/2026, 10:56:34 PM
My Notes
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