A Study Of Ideologies In Mikhail Gorbachev’s Era

As once the only country that could rival the US, the Soviet Union disintegrated in the 1990s, which while shocking Chinese and western experts and scholars in political science became a source of interminable contemplation. Both domestic and foreign theorists regard lessons and experiences learned from the Soviet Union’s disintegration as the focus of their studies. After 1985 when Mikhail Gorbachev came in power, confronted with serious economic, political and ideological challenges, he acutely realized that efforts should be made to improve the situation thus a series of reforms ensued. Opinions about the man himself and his reforms were divided. This paper analyzes the economic, political situation facing the Soviet Union when Mikhail Gorbachev took over the presidency and deliberates on it under the background of the US-led foreign peaceful evolution. Under the complicated circumstances, Mikhail Gorbachev proposed " acceleration strategies" in economy and "scientific and democratic socialism" in politics and encouraged diversified development of ideologies. His decision to dethrone Marxism from the position as the leading ideology was especially controversial and it was the absence of the mainstream ideology that spelt doom for the regime. Some scholars claimed the reforms executed during Mikhail Gorbachev’ s presidency were the direct cause behind the Soviet Union’s tragic disintegration, which is obviously open to debate. Mikhail Gorbachev’s merits and demerits, his reforms’success and failure should be taken into historical and class contexts before judgments are made. We should refrain from making dramatic, one-sided and precipitous conclusions. It is true that Mikhail Gorbachev’s reform and the man himself is partially responsible for the Soviet Union’s disintegration but there are also other factors that merit considerations. China should draw lessons from the Soviet Union’s chaotic domestic experiences caused by ideological reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev’s rule, hold correct views about socialist development, persist in its effort to uphold Marxism as the leading ideology, properly handle international relations, be vigilant against western peaceful evolution, take history as a mirror to serve as a guide for the future.