The Human Factor

Viac o knihe

In this analysis of political leadership during the Cold War's conclusion, Archie Brown challenges the prevailing notion that Western economic and military might forced the Soviet Union into defeat. He explores the roles of Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher in shaping East-West relations in the late 1980s by addressing key questions about their values, assumptions, and evolving perceptions. Brown examines the influences on these leaders, their alignment or opposition to their political establishments, and the significance of their interactions in ending the Cold War. The early 1980s saw heightened tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union, both capable of mutual destruction. However, by the decade's end, the landscape of East-West relations had dramatically changed, with many dividing lines, including Europe's, erased. The engagement between Gorbachev and Reagan was pivotal in this transformation. Surprisingly, Thatcher also played a crucial role; viewed by Reagan as a political ally, she developed a supportive relationship with Gorbachev even before he assumed power. By promoting Gorbachev in Washington as a viable partner, she became, as her adviser noted, "an agent of influence in both directions."