Mikhail Gorbachev (Soviet Union)

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, was a pivotal figure in 20th-century history. Born in 1931 in a small Russian village, he rose through the ranks of the Communist Party, eventually becoming General Secretary in 1985. Gorbachev is best known for his reform policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which aimed to revitalize the Soviet economy and society.

These reforms inadvertently led to increased transparency and freedom, contributing to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Gorbachev's legacy is complex; he is celebrated for his role in reducing nuclear tensions and fostering global peace, yet also criticized for the economic turmoil that followed his reforms. His impact on world history remains profound, marking the transition from a bipolar world to a more interconnected global community.