The Impact of the Social and Political Situation in Azerbaijan in the 1980s on the Press
Gunay Mammadova
Abstract. In the 1980s, the Soviet Union was experiencing a profound economic crisis, the process of moral-psychological indoctrination had reached its final stage, and societal-political turmoil was evident at every step. Additionally, the growing influence of conservative powers around the world was impacting many countries under occupation. As can be seen, the entire economic system, ideology, and both domestic and foreign policies of the USSR were in dire need of a fundamental restructuring, serious reforms, and substantial changes.
In March 1985, with Mikhail Gorbachev coming to power in the Soviet Union, the policy of "perestroika" (restructuring) was initiated in an attempt to overcome the crisis. This policy is often referred to in foreign literature as the "Gorbachev revolution." Indeed, both the country’s economy and its ideology required a significant overhaul. "Perestroika" initially began with a policy aimed at accelerating the development of the national economy. Subsequently, economic, political, and legal reforms were implemented. Gorbachev's relative youth sparked some hope among the public. The emphasis on democracy within the "perestroika" policy led to changes in the political life and media of the nations within the Soviet Empire. Newspapers began to reflect more objective perspectives and views.
Keywords: perestroika, press, Nagorno-Karabakh, anti-Turkish policy, newspaper, independence period, communist ideology, first clandestine publications