I think this is a very interesting quote that not only shows how the author gets his perspective across, but also how extreme the changes used to be back then.

The author gets his perspective across in a mostly objective and evidence-based way. The use of this quote (and many others throughout) shows that well. Instead of subjectively saying what his own opinion is that the reforms became more radical, he gives the primary source of Gorbachev's own words. This allows him to build a credible argument by not only pointing out that he believed the changes to be more and more extreme, but also by showing that Gorbachev himself believed so. He shows Gorbachev's personal and subjective viewpoint that simple reconstruction wasn't enough anymore.

That’s also why this quote itself reveals how extreme the changes got. Gorbachev himself changes wording from restructuring to revolution, which is something many people connect to things like the French Revolution, which were inherently violent. This really shows how he later on wasn't just trying to fix the economy by fighting the deeper issues, he wanted a genuine revolution of the entire system and society. The goal shifted into a complete psychological and also cultural transformation. This, among other things, also explains why the reforms caused opposition, as extreme changes almost always do.

This caught my attention because it highlights an important lesson in political reform. This is the point where Gorbachev and his allies realized that the issue is a deeper lying one, and not just one that can be fixed with a more simple economic focus. Gorbachev's team started to realize that countries’ economic struggles were actually just the symptom of the underlying "disease," which is a social and cultural one. It also makes apparent that Gorbachev's steps weren't one whole master plan; his strategy evolved over time. He realized that earlier measures were either unsuccessful or constrained by a too rigid system and the elites, and that they needed a deeper lying change and more support within the country. The move towards glasnost can be seen as the turn around from trying to treat the symptoms (the economy) to attempting to treat the underlying social issues by getting the public’s support. This reminder and also takeaway stays relevant today. Economic problems, maybe even in modern European countries, are often just the surface of, in reality, much deeper lying and more complicated societal issues.

Being able to reflect on yourself is extremely important. I think this is a very important skill that you need to have for an A. But the other thing that comes to my mind here is a level of vagueness. It is hard to determine whether a specific student has an eye to the constant and substantial improvements of their own work. It is surely possible to judge whether someone improves, but the nuances behind the effort that comes with small or large improvements is harder to see. I still agree with this point, but it is something we all need to keep in mind.

I think this is a good basis for a grade C. You need to at least do the readings on time and also submit the assignments. This is the baseline of what you have to do, and succeeding in this will help you to be better. Having clear baselines of what you have to do helps us students to know what is expected.

Especially in a course about the Russian political system, this is very important. Russia is in many ways not like the US or Europe. If you are unable to be curious about new subjects and especially new perspectives, you won't be able to really learn about them. If you want to be an A student, you have to have the quality to be curious and the time to learn about other people and perspectives.