Which of the following was a result of perestroika?
A. a surplus of many goods
B. decreased farm production
C. rapid economic growth
D. long lines in stores
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is D. long lines in stores.
Perestroika, which means “restructuring” in Russian, was a series of political and economic reforms introduced by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s. The goal of perestroika was to revitalize the Soviet economy by introducing elements of market mechanisms and greater efficiency in production. However, the implementation of these reforms led to several unintended consequences.
One of the notable outcomes of perestroika was the shortage of goods in stores, which led to long lines for essential items. This was a result of the economic dislocation caused by the reform policies. While perestroika attempted to introduce market forces into the Soviet system, it was difficult to make a smooth transition from a centrally planned economy. The government tried to decentralize control over production and allowed more autonomy to factories, but this created confusion and inefficiencies in the supply chain. The factories were not yet adjusted to the new system, and there was a lack of coordination between production and distribution.
Moreover, the Soviet Union was still experiencing a deepening agricultural crisis at the time, and the reforms did not significantly address issues like food production and distribution. The inefficiencies, coupled with a decline in industrial production, caused stores to remain poorly stocked, resulting in long lines for basic goods, such as bread and meat. This was a daily reality for many Soviet citizens.
In contrast to perestroika’s intended goals of economic revitalization, the immediate effects were economic decline and a growing dissatisfaction with the government’s ability to meet the people’s needs. While there was hope that perestroika would lead to long-term improvements, it ultimately contributed to economic instability and the collapse of the Soviet Union by the early 1990s. Therefore, long lines in stores became a symbol of the failure of the economic reforms.