‘Acceleration of the Perfection’, 1985–87

Abstract

When Gorbachev came to power in 1985, the question Western observers of Soviet politics were required to answer was: How long would it be before the new General Secretary had consolidated his power? We had to make policy with this man in mind — if, that is, he was truly in charge. In 1953 we had thought it was Malenkov and it turned out to be Khrushchev. Was it really Gorbachev now? When would we know? In truth, there was no adequate answer to these questions, if by the consolidation of power was meant a point at which the leadership of the new General Secretary was no longer challenged. There was, of course, no constitutional mandate, so Gorbachev, like every Soviet leader before him, had to fight for power by meeting two challenges: to find the policy that most served the needs of the nation and the cause on which it was founded, and to build his political credit and patronage against the opposition which could be expected to mount if his policies should miss their mark.

As I see it, no one else in the world had, or has, more power than I had in 1985.

Mikhail S. Gorbachev, 1992