Marshall I. Goldman

What Went Wrong with Perestroika

"Once again, Marshall Goldman has put his finger directly on the problems that hamper reform in the Soviet Union. Anyone who wants to understand Gorbachev's failings, the bureaucratic infighting and built-in reluctance to change will gain insights from this taut, readable book." —Hedrik Smith

With his vigorous air of leadership, Mikhail Gorbachev captured the attention of the world. He seemed to be the one leader who could bring the Soviet Union out of repression and stagnation—and yet under him the country disintegrated. In a trenchant analysis, Marshall Goldman pinpoints the components of the collapse, from Gorbachev's wrong turns in economic strategy to the fateful timing of ethnic and nationalist uprisings.

In a new chapter for this edition, Mr. Goldman discusses Boris Yeltsin's coming to power and what lies ahead of Russia and the other republics today.