This book deals with the new political style and mood which have emerged in the Soviet Union since Gorbachev's rise to power. Laqueur explains the origins of glasnost against the background of Russian and Soviet history and shows how, as a result of glasnost, much of our knowledge on the state of the Soviet Union had to be reconsidered. He discusses the impact of glasnost on Soviet cultural life, the economy, and foreign policy; the polarization of public opinion; the open debates inside the Soviet Union on burning social problems; and the emergence of a new influential "Russian party." He concludes with the likely future trends and developments.