Many at the time and today called Gorbachev's policies of perestroika and glasnost "too little too late". With the Soviet Union in shambles, opening the press only highlighted the country's myriad problems. Combined with tepid economic reforms, these policies arguably shattered confidence in the USSR further. Ignoring plausibility, what if Gorbachev had more time? Would his reforms have worked in the 60s before straits became dire, or would the Soviet Union's collapse be inevitable?
What if Gorbachev directly succeeded Khrushchev?
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Domrémy-Scorniçesti Axis
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The Soviet Union's decline had not set in yet, so hardliners would quickly overthrow him and put Andropov in his place.
Conservative wing would be livid. They'd do everything they could to prevent another reformer after Khrushchov (which is what happened IOTL) and failing that, they'd do everything they could to oust him.
Real problems begun during Brezhnev's premiership in 1970's. So it would work betterly and be more plausible that Gorbachev succeeds Brezhnev directly instead succeeding Kruschev directly. And I am not sure if Gorbachev was yet in 1964 or even in 1971 (year of Khruschev's death) was disillusioned enough to the system. And if Gorbachev would had tried something too radical in 1970's he would had been ousted by hard-liners and this time succesfully.
Unlikely, given that someone like Gorb climbed the ladder specifically because Andropov was so committed to clearing out incompetent and aging cadre. Gorbachev was an excellent ladder-climber, but he couldn't have reached the top and attempted the reforms he did without the path having been cleared for him. Look at Kosygin, a pretty active reformer who was effectively marginalized by Brezhnev on succession despite nominally being a serious contender. That's likely where Gorb or someone like him ends up - marginalized, or failing that removed pretty quickly by party conservatives.
Your best bet is actually just Andropov taking power 15 years early - only he had the muscle to actually clear the way for reform and new Cadre.
Your best bet is actually just Andropov taking power 15 years early - only he had the muscle to actually clear the way for reform and new Cadre.
Gorbachev was only 33 in 1964. He was nowhere close to being at the top of Soviet leadership at the time.