Addressing the Central Committee for the first time as General Secretary in March 1985 in a speech entitled, “Our Course Remains Unchanged,” and a second time in April 1985, Gorbachev invoked Andropov’s name and slogans. He called for social and economic acceleration, transferring the economy onto “the rails of intensive development,” and quickly attaining “the most advanced scientific and technical positions.” He also called for “strengthening discipline” and perfecting “the entire management system.” Gorbachev advocated the elimination of wage leveling. In a swipe at the illegal parts of the second economy and corruption, he called for a struggle against “unearned incomes” and all “phenomena that are alien to the socialist way of life.” In foreign policy, Gorbachev reaffirmed such traditional Soviet positions as the support of national liberation, peaceful coexistence, and cooperation with the West on “principles of equality.” He gave special emphasis on ending the arms race and freezing nuclear arsenals. In politics, Gorbachev proposed “strengthening” and “heightening” the leading role of the Party, a “strict observance of the Leninist style of work” and the elimination of “false idealization” and formalism in Party meetings. Gorbachev spoke of the need for glasnost, or “greater openness and publicity” about the work of the Party, state and other public organizations.251
In deeds as well as words, Gorbachev resembled Andropov. In 1985, Gorbachev’s economic policies had two thrusts. The first was to improve the “human factor” through the promotion of new cadre and through increased “discipline.” The second was to move from “extensive” to “intensive” growth by changing investment policy in order to retool and modernize existing factories. Gorbachev encouraged discussion on ways to improve discipline and restructure the economy.252 In May 1985, to improve work discipline, Gorbachev launched a campaign against alcohol consumption, a serious social problem that for years had eroded family life and health, as well as reduced labor productivity. Andropov had increased the penalties for public drunkenness; Gorbachev went further. He slashed the production of vodka and limited the hours of vodka sales.253 In June 1985, Gorbachev devoted a plenary of the Central Committee to the scientific and technological revolution. This resulted in the creation of twenty-three new technical research complexes.254 In October, Gorbachev changed the five-year plan in order to increase investment in machine-building and raise the technical level of production.255 Gorbachev accompanied these moves with an explicit rejection of market reforms. In May, Gorbachev said, “Many of you see the solution to your problems in resorting to market mechanisms in place of direct planning. Some of you look at the market as a lifesaver for your economics. But, comrades, you should not think about life-savers but about the ship, and the ship is socialism.”256
Gorbachev made two other economic moves that resembled Andropov’s. In order to raise the quality of industrial goods, nineteen enterprises initiated quality control measures similar to those that worked effectively in the armament industry. In early 1986, the Council of Ministers created a state quality control body (gospriemka) with the authority to regulate the quality of production at the most important enterprises, including those producing consumer goods. Gorbachev also launched an attack on wage leveling, a practice that had reduced the differential between the wages of an industrial specialist and an average worker from 146 percent in 1965 to 110 percent in 1986. Under the new system, the wages of industrial specialists and of workers in research, development, education, and health care would increase more than the wages of other workers.257
During his first year, Gorbachev tried to break the logjam in American-Soviet relations. The situation he faced was daunting. Soviet-American relations had deteriorated since 1979, when the United States began arming the counterrevolutionaries in Afghanistan, and the Soviets had responded to the Afghan government’s call for help by sending troops. To punish the Soviet Union, President Carter ended arms negotiations and imposed an agricultural boycott. Thereafter, for six years, not a single meeting of the U.S. and Soviet high officials had occurred.
In the spring of 1985, Gorbachev reaffirmed the traditional elements of Soviet foreign policy while initiating some new moves. He repeated the Soviet commitment to peace and peaceful co-existence on the basis of a military and strategic balance with the West. He underscored the Soviet Union’s solidarity with socialist states and with peoples fighting for their freedom and independence. Gorbachev supported the new revolutionary government of Nicaragua.258 He intensified the Soviet military effort in Afghanistan.259 He increased the Soviet support of the African National Congress (ANC), including the military training of ANC activists.
At the same time, Gorbachev took steps to improve the international atmosphere with the U.S. and Western Europe. In May, he accepted a proposal from President Reagan for a summit. In July, he announced a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. In September, he proposed a 50 percent reduction in strategic nuclear warheads. In October, while visiting France, Gorbachev announced a unilateral reduction in Soviet intermediate-range missiles directed at Europe.260 In November in Geneva, Gorbachev and Reagan held the first summit meeting in years. Though no substantive agreements emerged, a frank and friendly exchange of views occurred. At this time, Gorbachev told Reagan some accommodation might be possible on Afghanistan.261 Gorbachev’s actions in 1985 produced a palpable relaxation of international tensions.
Gorbachev also took steps that looked like efforts to address the political stagnation, corruption, and ideological weaknesses of the CPSU, though in many cases they simply involved promoting his supporters. At the top, Eduard Shevardnadze replaced Gromyko as Foreign Minister. N. I. Ryzhkov replaced Nikolai Tikhonov as premier. Boris Yeltsin was appointed head of the Moscow Party. While criticizing the “personal loyalty, servility, and protectionism” that marked the operation of the Party in many republics, Gorbachev replaced officials in Latvia, Lithuania, and Byelorussia. Moves against corrupt local officials occurred in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kirghizia. The shakeup was far-reaching. Within a year, Gorbachev replaced over 50 percent of the full and candidate members of the Politburo. He replaced fourteen of the twenty-three heads of Central Committee departments, five of fourteen heads of Republics, and 50 of 157 first secretaries of krais (regions) and oblasts (districts). Gorbachev replaced 40 percent of the ambassadors, shook up many ministries, and removed fifty thousand managers. In the Ministry of Instruments (in charge of computers and electronics), Gorbachev had a thousand personnel replaced.262