Mikhail Gorbachev

We need to democratize the party. To give more power to the rank and file.

I believe in the triumph of reason. I believe in the triumph of humanism.

The people are the ultimate judge. Their opinion matters most.

We must overcome the inertia of the past. The resistance to change.

The world is changing. We must change with it. Or we will perish.

I am not interested in power for power's sake. I am interested in serving the people.

The Soviet Union needs democracy like the air it breathes.

We cannot build socialism without democracy. This is a fundamental truth.

I am not a reformer by choice. I am a reformer by necessity.

The people want change. And I will give them change.

We must break down the walls of mistrust. To build bridges of cooperation.

I believe in dialogue. I believe in negotiations. I believe in peaceful coexistence.

The past is over. The future is now.

I tried to save the Union. But it was too late.

We need to create a new world order. Based on trust and cooperation.

The greatest achievement of perestroika is freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of choice.

I am not a hero. I am just a man who tried to do his best.

The Soviet Union was a great country. But it had to change.