One may wonder, how much did Gorbachev know of what he is doing. Determination requires some vision of what follows. How did Gorbachev know not-so-totalitarian alternatives, and new economic relations? Did he consider a break-up of the Soviet Union, or imagine himself in a pizza commercial?

I hadn't noticed much of the fierce nomenclature opposition to him from the contemporary media or behavior of officials. It seemed that Gorby had control right from the start; the media promoted him quite innovatively (by the Soviet standards). He did change a lot of top party officials... stirring some "unheard" national tensions, in particular... if that goes for a democratic change. The election of Gorbachev himself is said to be controversial.

Seeing how much bullshit posting is there in today's politics, I am more ready to consider the possibility that some of the glorious historic events (like the end of the Cold War) have elements of Potiomkin village in them. Gorbachev did everything right for break-up of the Soviet model (for better and worse). If he left a vacuum, there was once wild force ready to fill it in.