Gorbachev started the change by starting a policy called glastnost or openness. He encouraged Soviet citizens to disscuse making their society a better place to live. Also in 1985 he introduced perestroika or economic restructuring. In 1986 he made changes to revive the Soviet economy. Local managers gained greater authority over their farms and factories, and people were allowed to open small private businesses. Gorbachev’s goal was not to throw out communism, but to make the system more efficient and productive. Gorbachev paved the way for the failure of communism. When the Berlin Wall came down communism came with it. The Berlin Wall was the only thing seperating East and West Germany. If any won tried to cross they were shot. After communism collapsed the Soviet Union got split up into 15 different countrys: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Lativa, Lithuania, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
