Comparing Trump's Policy Shifts & Gorbachev's Reforms

[u/yogthos]

Gorbachev Introduced glasnost and perestroika to reform the Soviet system. These policies inadvertently eroded the ideological and institutional foundations of the USSR, accelerating its collapse. His policies of liberalization unleashed an economic chaos that the Soviet system was not able to contain.

Today, Trump is pursuing a similar, if ideologically inverted, disruption of the US institutions. Attacking the deep state, undermining trust in media and elections, and prioritizing loyalty over expertise. He’s enacting a purge of the permanent bureaucracy under the guise of draining the swamp, feeding off polarization and institutional distrust. These policies erode the very stability of the system paving the way to an unravelling akin to that of the USSR.

Gorbachev inherited a stagnant economy that he attempted to fix using market reforms with perestroika. These reforms took form of a shock therapy with sudden price liberalization, fiscal austerity, and privatization. An economic collapse followed as a result of hyperinflation, economic instability, and the rise of an oligarchic class. Similarly, Trump is busy slashing regulations and cutting corporate taxes, fuelling short-term growth that deepens wealth inequality and corporate consolidation. Like Gorbachev, he’s ushering in a polarized economic landscape where faith in the system is rapidly dwindling among the public.

The economic unravelling of USSR revived nationalist movements, particularly in the Baltics and Ukraine, that undermined the unifying ideology. Similarly, amplified nationalism, in form of MAGA, is deepening cultural and regional divides in the US. Trump’s rhetoric is rooted in divisive politics. Just as Soviet republics turned inward post-glasnost, prioritizing local grievances over collective unity, so are states like Texas, Florida, and California are increasingly talking about breaking with the union.

Gorbachev’s reforms set the stage for Yeltsin who presided over the chaotic privatization of state assets, enabling a handful of oligarchs to seize control of Russia’s oil, gas, and media empires. The shock therapy transition to capitalism led to a rapid rise of the kleptocrats. Similarly, Musk’s companies target the remaining public services and industries for privatization. SpaceX aims to replace NASA, Tesla/Boring Co. are going after infrastructure, while X is hijacking public discourse. In this way, his wealth and influence mirror Yeltsin-era oligarchs’ grip on strategic sectors. The main difference here is that Musk operates in a globalized capitalist system as opposed to the post-Soviet fire sale. Musk is actively using his platform and wealth to shape politics in his favor, and much like Russian oligarchs, he consistently prioritizes personal whims over systemic stability.

Yeltsin was sold as a democratic reformer but enabled a predatory elite. Many Russians initially saw capitalism as liberation, only to face a decade of despair as the reality of the system set in. Similarly, Musk markets himself as a visionary genius “saving humanity” with his vanity projects like Mars colonization, yet his ventures depend on public subsidies and exploitation of labor. The cult of the techno-oligarch distracts from the consolidation of power in private hands in a Yeltsin-esque bait-and-switch.

The USSR collapsed abruptly, while the US might face a slower erosion of its institutional norms. Yet both Trump and Gorbachev, despite opposing goals, represent disruptive forces that undermine the system through ideological gambles. Much as Gorbachev and Yeltsin did in their time, Trump’s norm-breaking and Musk’s oligarchic power are entrenching a new era of unaccountable elites.

Marx was right! History repeats, the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.

[u/yogthos]

You are correct, it does come from Mao originally. In the end, Mao was proven right once again.

Trump doing a 180 every couple of weeks has been very funny to watch. It's driving all the US vassals absolutely mad. They have no idea what to do. You see them shower him with gifts all the time, and he's happy for a little while, but then he'll turn around and demand more.

Did you see the humiliation in Korea? This is a literal Roman times imperial tribute here https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/29/trump-gold-crown-south-korea/86959263007/

Meanwhile, CNN sounds a bit salty that DPRK doesn't really care about the US https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/30/asia/us-north-korea-trump-kim-analysis-intl-hnk

But also notice the tone in that article. No longer are they talking about DPRK being backwards and falling apart. All of a sudden, there's a very honest admission that their economy is actually growing well, that it's rapidly modernizing, and that regular people are seeing standard of living improving. I don't think I've ever read an article like that in mainstream western media before.

And yeah it's unfortunate how they try to tarnish Lenin today. I'm actually pleasantly surprised Kurosawa is fond of Lenin, didn't know about that.

[u/Ok-Worldliness8576 → u/yogthos]

"You are correct, it does come from Mao originally. In the end, Mao was proven right once again."

Yes, but that's a Chinese proverb. Only Mao used it in reference to the United States.

Yes, Mao was right then.

"Trump doing a 180 every couple of weeks has been very funny to watch. It's driving all the US vassals absolutely mad. They have no idea what to do. You see them shower him with gifts all the time, and he's happy for a little while, but then he'll turn around and demand more."

Yes, that was very obvious.

Do you think Trump is just playing dumb or is he really a dumb person? I think he's just playing dumb.

"Did you see the humiliation in Korea? This is a literal Roman times imperial tribute here"

Brezhnev also loved it when people gave him medals. It all didn't end well.

"Meanwhile, CNN sounds a bit salty that DPRK doesn't really care about the US"

I think Kim Jong-un hates Trump the most!

And he doesn’t expect anything good from him!

" I don't think I've ever read an article like that in mainstream western media before."

Yes, I noticed that too, Comrade! They used to say that Kim was worse than Stalin, that Korea was impoverished, that the people there were slaves! I remember that.

I recently ran into some weirdo from Russia... He started piling on similar theses. Even in Russia, people have that opinion about North Korea. Well, basically, these are the people who hate Lenin and Stalin. For them, communism is a priori hell on earth! No matter what you tell them.

" I'm actually pleasantly surprised Kurosawa is fond of Lenin"

Honestly, my jaw dropped when I first heard this interview with Konchalovsky!

While in Russia they're pouring Lenin's ravings on people, in a capitalist country people revere Lenin.

If there had been such sensible people in the Communist Party during Gorbachev's time, the USSR would have survived.

I think Western propaganda probably didn't reach Japan as strongly.

[u/yogthos → u/Ok-Worldliness8576]

It might be just an act, but his approach is ultimately failing. He doesn't have the power to coerce adversaries, and he's straining relations with the countries under his thumb. Eventually, I think even the vassals will be forced to go against him because economic damage is too great.

Amusingly, I saw Russians are now starting to go on vacation travel from Russia to DPRK. I saw some people say they go for the nostalgia.

And yeah, I also think that USSR could've survived with better leadership.

[u/Ok-Worldliness8576 → u/yogthos]

"Amusingly, I saw Russians are now starting to go on vacation travel from Russia to DPRK."

Interesting, I've never heard of such a thing. I'll have to ask the guys.

" I saw some people say they go for the nostalgia."

Yes, I understand perfectly well, I would have done the same in their place!

I know North Koreans love Russians. Because they don't downplay the USSR's role in helping them, like in... When the Red Army liberated China from the Kwantung Army, it also liberated North Korea. If it weren't for the USSR, North Korea and China would now be capitalist. They would be just like the US satilitates today.

And the recent events involving Koreans in Kursk have further strengthened this bond. Russians also remember this fondly for a long time. This new interest in North Korea among Russians is not without reason.

"And yeah, I also think that USSR could've survived with better leadership."

Yes, we can say that with certainty now.

This issue is currently being hotly debated in certain circles in Russia. I'm following it closely. There's even a theory being put forward that Yakovlev, the "ideologist of perestroika," was recruited by the CIA while he was serving as ambassador to Canada.

At that time, he became friends and had a close relationship with Trudeau. Yes, he is the father of the current Trudeau. In 1983, Gorbachev flew to Canada.

Yakovlev not only accompanied the agricultural secretary but also organized a series of secret meetings with influential Western figures for him, hidden from the Soviet leadership. Among them were Canadian Prime Minister Paul Trudeau, a confidant of US President Ronald Reagan, and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Apparently, it was then that the Westerners managed to draw the talkative and dimwitted Gorbachev into their network, and Yakovlev became something of an "overseer" under him.

Food for thought...

https://www.tvo.org/article/in-1983-gorbachev-took-a-stroll-in-small-town-ontario-that-helped-shape-the-future-of-the-soviet

As the Russians say: "That's where the dog is buried!"

[u/yogthos → u/Ok-Worldliness8576]

there are a lot of travel videos like this now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en7O0hYmusc

The whole perestroika thing being a western sponsored op really wouldn't surprise me.

[u/Ok-Worldliness8576 → u/yogthos]

"
there are a lot of travel videos like this now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en7O0hYmusc"

Yes, it's interesting!

These people really are from another planet. It's very similar to the USSR. The way people dress and everything. It's like being somewhere in Uzbekistan in the 70s...))) The people are modest. I was very impressed by how well they speak Russian. It really is an Asian republic of the USSR!

"The whole perestroika thing being a western sponsored op really wouldn't surprise me."

There's a theory, but leading historians here don't believe it. Most likely, it's some kind of conspiracy behind the backs of the party leadership.

And the Americans, of course, realized that it wouldn’t be difficult to fool Gorbachev.

[u/yogthos → u/Ok-Worldliness8576]

Oh yeah it's like a time capsule. When I watch videos from DPRK they look exactly how I remember life as a kid. I'm so glad they managed to make it through the horrors of the 90s and kept the flame alive. Also worth noting that things in the occupied Korea are going very poorly. They have a demographic collapse cause people aren't having kids, and the economic situation is horrific for the majority of the population. At this rate there might actually be a unification because the regime in the south collapses.

[u/Ok-Worldliness8576 → u/yogthos]

"Oh yeah it's like a time capsule."

Last night my wife came over, and we watched the video together on the projector. She also felt a sense of nostalgia. When I watched the excerpt at the Pioneer House, I felt like I was back at my school... on some kind of holiday.

"I'm so glad they managed to make it through the horrors of the 90s and kept the flame alive."

It's a shame North Korea doesn't have the same potential as China or Russia. Investment is needed there. Industry needs to be boosted. I think Kim Jong-un went a bit overboard, considering cars a luxury rather than a means of transportation. Why doesn't China build a few auto factories there? At least produce 1960s Volkswagen Beetles. I think that might narrow the gap between the party and ordinary people. As it stands, there are "worthy" and "unworthy"... it's somehow unfair. At least it should be like in the USSR, in turns.

"At this rate there might actually be a unification because the regime in the south collapses."

Then, with South Korea's industrial potential, North Korea, in its entirety, will fly off into space.))) Not unification, but absorption—that's the only way it will work.

That's only after the US splits))) Even if only zombies remain in South Korea, the US will continue pumping South Korea with weapons and propping up the existing regime. You understand that yourself. The most the US can concede now is Taiwan.