'I fought for USSR, but failed': RT talks to Mikhail Gorbachev

The end of the Cold War, the reunification of Germany, liberalism and Perestroyka. The USSR's first and last president, Mikhail Gorbachev celebrates his 80th birthday today, and his legacy includes being hailed as the father of Russia's democracy. Mikhail Gorbachev was born in a small village in the south of the country, and became leader of the USSR in 1985. With his economic and political reforms, he paved the way for democracy in Russia. His best known reform is dubbed "Perestroyka", which aimed to revamp the country without destroying the basis of socialism. His initiatives also led to the abolishment of state censorship and the creation of free speech in the country. Gorbachev received the Nobel peace prize in 1990. A year later, however, he was removed from power in a coup which saw the collapse of the Soviet Union and Boris Yeltsin become president. But Mikhail Gorbachev still says his reforms were timely and necessary. "We realized from experience that it was dangerous to wait much longer, that we had to take a risk," he told RT in an interview. "But we couldn't postpone it, we needed changes." Gorbachev does not agree when people say that Perestroyka failed: "It didn't fail. It was disrupted, derailed, stopped. But still, Perestroyka achieved a lot. Inside Russia, we had democracy, free elections, freedom of consciousness, private property, freedom to travel abroad --everything. Also, glasnost. There was so much openness -- the entire country was affected. People realized they had finally got some freedom, an opportunity to act." The first USSR president points out that the end of the Cold War was among key goals of his administration: "In foreign affairs, we put an end to the Cold War. We normalized our relationship with the US, we reunited Germany -- we didn't send our tanks or troops there. All our units in Eastern Europe stayed where they were. It wasn't always easy." However, many things did not work as planned, Gorbachev confessed. "At the beginning, when we made our first mistakes, we didn't really explain to people what was going on and didn't get them involved in all those processes -- we were self-confident," he said. "But in public politics, I don't think we ever lost a major battle," Mikhail Gorbachev concluded.
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• Shevardnadze Sophie
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• interview
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[ludocrat]

I think Gorbachev saved the world. I think he was a good communist and clearly believed in the Soviet ideal, but he knew that a greater human principle came first in his time: the principle of truth. He understood his time.

He remains a great WORLD leader, and always will be regarded as such long after his passing from this safer world that he helped to create - not just for Russians but for us all.

I wish Putin were a fraction the man.

[jvarela965]

Gorbachev is one of the wisest men in history. 100 years from now he will have the same stature of Peter The Great.

[MrPeace4everyone]

he bought democracy and freedom. I agree. But its a fact he made Russia very weak and very vulnerable to western political pressure military power and this cost Russia alot. And i think he did this intentionally. Its evident in his speech.

[mcwatta]

And welcome a new russia in fascist jackboot

[ludocrat]

You're just another Russian nationalist peasant with lots of pathetic attitude and no clue apart from the crap you've been fed. That's what you get from 70 years of communist bullshit, followed by 20 years of nationalist bullshit.

You get bullshit. You get comments like yours.

[Zaripov10]

@ludocrat hahaha

you know the history of the Internet and books,where the history is changed, and I'm from the grandparents

[ludocrat]

@Zaripov10

Bad English, bad history and a bad attitude.

[Zaripov10]

stupid idiots from all over the world believe that Gorbachev saved the world from the evil empire....

[Zaripov10]

@superbex1 He destroyed the greatest country in the history and sold for America

[Zaripov10]

@ludocrat saved the world?stupid shit

America never attack Iran,Iraq,Livia,if USSR was now.

i know,bad English

[superbex1]

i dont get why gorbachev is so hated by so many. can please someone non-russian-extremist explain that?