Episode
How Gorbachev Changed the World
41:57
Published: Thu Sep 01 2022
Description
Few leaders have had as profound an effect on their time as Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, who died this week at 91.It was not Mr. Gorbachev’s intention to liquidate the Soviet empire when he came to power in 1985. But after little more than six tumultuous years, he had lifted the Iron Curtain and presided over the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, ending the Cold War.Guest: Serge Schmemann, a member of The New York Times’s editorial board.Background reading: Adopting principles of glasnost and perestroika, Mr. Gorbachev weighed the legacy of seven decades of Communist rule and set a new course, decisively altering the political climate of the world.With the war in Ukraine, Russia’s current leader, Vladimir V. Putin, is trying to unravel Mr. Gorbachev’s legacy.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Chapters
The transcript discusses how life in Soviet Russia was repressive under Leonid Brezhnev's leadership.
00:00 - 04:24 (04:24)
Summary
The transcript discusses how life in Soviet Russia was repressive under Leonid Brezhnev's leadership. The Soviet Union's resources were poured entirely into the military race with the West and the repressive mechanism while the economy had come to a halt.
EpisodeHow Gorbachev Changed the World
PodcastThe Daily
The article explains how Gorbachev's thought revolution has transformed creativity across society, facilitated the release of the economy force, and restored the power of the citizens' creativity.
04:24 - 11:33 (07:08)
Summary
The article explains how Gorbachev's thought revolution has transformed creativity across society, facilitated the release of the economy force, and restored the power of the citizens' creativity.
EpisodeHow Gorbachev Changed the World
PodcastThe Daily
In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Garry Wills, talks about the meeting between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
11:33 - 20:39 (09:06)
Summary
In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Garry Wills, talks about the meeting between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
EpisodeHow Gorbachev Changed the World
PodcastThe Daily
Gorbachev's reforms failed to break away from the Soviet Union's reliance on the central command system and control, leading to a power struggle that resulted in an emergency committee taking over the country and declaring Gorbachev out of office.
20:39 - 32:11 (11:32)
Summary
Gorbachev's reforms failed to break away from the Soviet Union's reliance on the central command system and control, leading to a power struggle that resulted in an emergency committee taking over the country and declaring Gorbachev out of office.
EpisodeHow Gorbachev Changed the World
PodcastThe Daily
The dismantling of the Soviet Union and Gorbachev's reforms were seen differently by liberals, conservatives, and nationalists.
32:11 - 39:45 (07:34)
Summary
The dismantling of the Soviet Union and Gorbachev's reforms were seen differently by liberals, conservatives, and nationalists. However, the speaker sees Gorbachev as a decent man who gave Russia hope and set it on an exciting journey towards a better future, despite his failures.
EpisodeHow Gorbachev Changed the World
PodcastThe Daily
The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to a new formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine specifically targeting the Omicron variant.
39:45 - 41:51 (02:06)
Summary
The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to a new formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine specifically targeting the Omicron variant. Booster shots will be available next week and infections and deaths continue to be recorded in high numbers in the US.