Evaluating Gorbachev as Leader

Abstract

An American political scientist evaluates Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership during a pivotal five-year period in Soviet history. Baselines for evaluations are established and some new interpretations and evidence, which includes material of interest to political economists, is presented and discussed. The author compares Gorbachev's record to prescriptions implicit in theoretical literature on transformational leadership and transitions to democracy. He concludes that Gorbachev's strategy of transforming culture and politics before economics, and his political tactic of “radical centrism,” have been wise choices, and may not have exhausted their utility. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 124, 822.