Question by jhengssulee: Glasnost and its effects in Russian society?
How did Glasnost affect censorship and freedom of press and speech in the former USSR?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Jonathan G
Unfortunately, it proved ruinous for the Russian people. Glasnost is over.
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moravianhawk says
My memory of Glasnost from that time (I lived in communist country) brought relief to me, since we can openly talk about items, persons, or events that we did not like, and had government backing behind us. You would not end up in prison for sure. Commies hated freedom of speech, even to exchange ideas that Glasnost brought to that time. For example, we were unable to criticize factory canteen or our medical staff, even there was no way you can put a simple complain. The commies did not expect you to say anything. Glasnost gave an option to exercise your rights to speech to things that even were not related to politics or ask for more personal freedom. Since we find our self with more freedom, we could often utilize it against certain individuals put in the position in the name of communist monopoly. When news of disaster like a Chernobyl spreads out, it was from my personal point of view, that end of communist control over the speech and press. Government had to suddenly acknowledge problem within the system, and soon the problems became visible in every imaginable communist life.