Mikhail Gorbachev

Real World Example

Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union and played a crucial role in ending the Cold War. He introduced reforms like "glasnost" (openness) and "perestroika" (restructuring) to bring more transparency and efficiency to the government and economy. These changes helped reduce tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and eventually the breakup of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's actions mattered because they shifted the world from a period of intense rivalry to one of greater cooperation and peace. Today, his legacy inspires people to value openness and reform; for example, students who start clubs to improve school policies demonstrate the power of advocating for change in a constructive way.