How can you rate Mikhail Gorbachev as a person and as the last ruler of the former USSR?

Question

Would there have been great achievments under his rule if the unioun didnt fall apart ?

Answer 1

I think disintegration of the USSR as a communist dictatorship can be considered as an achievement itself.

I think Gorbachev did a great service to his country by bringing it back from Orwellian "1984" world back to reality. One can argue what better economic policy could be applied to start moving from centralized economy to the market economy, but Gorbachev role in political reforms and restoring "human values" (общечеловеческих ценностей) is hard to overestimate.

My personal opinion is that Gorbachev did not really know that it was the beginning of the end when he started his actions in 1985, he honestly believed in a "socialism with human face". And many people (including myself) would simply laugh, if somebody told them in early 1985 that in slightly more than 6 years their country would cease to exist and the communist party will be outlawed (although briefly).

Answer 2

Mikhail Gorbachev was a great leader who did his best for his country. He was brave enough to stand up to the status quo of the soviets and take his country away from its war stance. He and Ronald Reagan have both left behind remarkable legacy's with their work and dedication in bringing about the end of the cold war. He will be remembered and written about far into the future.

Answer 3

As a person I would rate him good because he brought down the Soviet Union due to his glasnost and para-stroika policies. As a ruler I would say he was absolutely horrible because he brought down the Soviet Union.

Answer 4

Well, he was very funny in his cameo role in the Naked Gun.

Answer 5

he was, perhaps, the bravest man of the 20th century

Answer 6

He tried his best.