One unexpected result of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms was the collapse of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's policies of perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (political openness) allowed greater freedom of expression and exposed the failures and corruption of the Soviet system. This led to widespread discontent and demands for more autonomy from the various republics within the Soviet Union. Ultimately, the republics started declaring independence, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
