On December 26, 1991, the dissolution of the Soviet Union was finalized when the autonomous republics of Soviet Union gained independence in accordance with declaration number 142-H. Historians have long debated the factors and implications that catalyzed the fall of the Soviet Union, with arguments ranging from the involvement of nationalist uprisings to the effects of Western aggression. Mikhail Gorbachev made colossal strides to democratize the old communist ways of the Soviet Union, even if it led to his political demise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay His reforms weakened the USSR and opposition began to grow on all sides as he attempted to restructure the communist party and purge it of corruption, from all sides. while trying to establish a more democratic process for the election of officials. Through glasnost, he attempted to reform and restructure his country through his policies from 1985 to 1991. His efforts to democratize his country's political system and decentralize its economy led to the fall of communism and ultimately contributed to the economic collapse of the Soviet Union. On March 3, 1985, Konstantin Chernenko died and was replaced by Michael Gorbachev as general secretary. of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was known for his policy of "Glasnost" which allowed freedom of speech and the relaxation of controls on radio, the press, the film industry and television. However, this policy quickly allowed public opinion to escape Gorbachev's reach. This is evident in that in the Soviet system all areas of social life were subject to ideological and political logic, so that economic restructuring cannot, to some extent, be separated from politics. On April 26, 1986, at 1:23 a.m., Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, following an ill-advised test of the systems by undertrained technicians, which resulted in the immediate death of factory workers and exposed others to deadly levels of radiation. It took about two days for the explosion to be announced and, in vague terms, others only discovered its true scale when radiation was detected outside Soviet borders. Gorbachev introduced his policy of glasnost, or "openness" of ideas and expression, not long before the Chernobyl explosion. Some consider this situation as the first “crack” in the Soviet system which may have contributed to its collapse. According to Gorbachev, the Chernobyl explosion was a turning point that “opened up the possibility of much greater freedom of expression, to the point where the system as we knew it could no longer continue.” It was his remedy against widespread censorship and government secrecy. For Gorbachev, Chernobyl proved the wisdom and necessity of glasnost and his statements "clearly showed how important it was to pursue the policy of glasnost." By 1987, the year after Chernobyl, glasnost had taken hold of Soviet society, with a sudden open-mindedness dominating the press and public space. Outrage over the disaster began to spread, even among loyal citizens who had never questioned the infallibility of their government. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay.