Question:
Who among the following was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985?
Who among the following was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985?
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Remember the last leader of the USSR:
- Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary in 1985 .
- Key Policies: *Perestroika* (Restructuring) & *Glasnost* (Openness).
Updated On: Aug 11, 2026
- Joseph Stalin
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Leonid Brezhnev
- Nikita Khrushchev
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Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) was the de facto supreme leader of the USSR. Understanding the chronology of Soviet leadership during the Cold War is key to political history:
• Vladimir Lenin (Leader of October Revolution 1917)
• Joseph Stalin (1924–1953)
• Nikita Khrushchev (1953–1964)
• Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982)
• Yuri Andropov (1982–1984)
• Konstantin Chernenko (1984–1985)
• Mikhail Gorbachev (1985–1991)
Step 1: Identifying the General Secretary in 1985.
In March 1985 , following the death of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Step 2: Reforms introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev.
Gorbachev sought to reform and modernize the stagnant Soviet system by introducing two landmark policies:
• Perestroika (Economic Restructuring): Introducing market elements and administrative efficiency.
• Glasnost (Political Openness): Allowing freedom of speech, criticism, and press openness. These reforms unintentionally set off nationalist forces and systemic disintegration, leading ultimately to the dissolution of the USSR in December 1991.
Step 3: Verification of options.
• Option (A) Joseph Stalin: Led USSR from mid-1920s to 1953.
• Option (B) Mikhail Gorbachev: General Secretary from March 1985 to December 1991. Correct.
• Option (C) Leonid Brezhnev: Led USSR from 1964 to 1982.
• Option (D) Nikita Khrushchev: Led USSR from 1953 to 1964.
Step 4: Conclusion.
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985 was Mikhail Gorbachev .
• Vladimir Lenin (Leader of October Revolution 1917)
• Joseph Stalin (1924–1953)
• Nikita Khrushchev (1953–1964)
• Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982)
• Yuri Andropov (1982–1984)
• Konstantin Chernenko (1984–1985)
• Mikhail Gorbachev (1985–1991)
Step 1: Identifying the General Secretary in 1985.
In March 1985 , following the death of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Step 2: Reforms introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev.
Gorbachev sought to reform and modernize the stagnant Soviet system by introducing two landmark policies:
• Perestroika (Economic Restructuring): Introducing market elements and administrative efficiency.
• Glasnost (Political Openness): Allowing freedom of speech, criticism, and press openness. These reforms unintentionally set off nationalist forces and systemic disintegration, leading ultimately to the dissolution of the USSR in December 1991.
Step 3: Verification of options.
• Option (A) Joseph Stalin: Led USSR from mid-1920s to 1953.
• Option (B) Mikhail Gorbachev: General Secretary from March 1985 to December 1991. Correct.
• Option (C) Leonid Brezhnev: Led USSR from 1964 to 1982.
• Option (D) Nikita Khrushchev: Led USSR from 1953 to 1964.
Step 4: Conclusion.
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985 was Mikhail Gorbachev .
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