With Glasnost There Are No Secrets

After his ascension to the position of General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev faced numerous problems both in Soviet society and in government. A combination of inefficient industry, lack of free press, and an undemocratic political system created an ineffective government and stagnant economy. To tackle these problems, Gorbachev launched the revolutionary campaign of  glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). Perestroika […]

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Corruption and the Russian Mob

Corruption had always run rampant in Russia/ the Soviet Union. It was part of life because it had occurred for generations. People in the business world expected a bribe to facilitate contracts and permits. Police officers did not want a ticket to be paid through the city. But most of all in the 1990s after […]

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One More Drink?

It’s hard to believe that this is the last blog post of the year already.  As I sat down to research for a topic to write about this week, I found something rather peculiar:  the Anti-Alcohol Campaign.  What?  An anti-alcohol campaign in Russia?  I was taken aback to say the least.  Alcohol is a staple […]

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