Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

perestroika

noun

peh-ruh-STROI-kah

Definition

A political movement within the Soviet Union during the 1980s aimed at reforming the political and economic system.

Examples

The perestroika of the 1980s led to various changes, including more open political discussions.
Perestroika eventually contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union by undermining the existing Communist structure.

Meaning

Perestroika, which means ‘restructuring’ in Russian, was a policy initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev to introduce significant changes to the Soviet economy and government structure in an effort to improve efficiency and democratize the nation.