The Human Factor

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In this insightful analysis of political leadership's impact on the Cold War's conclusion, Archie Brown challenges the notion that Western economic and military superiority forced the Soviet Union to concede defeat. He explores the roles of Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher in reshaping East-West relations during the late 1980s by examining their values, evolving perceptions, and influences. Brown poses critical questions about their political contexts, the extent to which they aligned with or opposed their establishments, and the significance of their interactions in ending the standoff. The early 1980s saw heightened tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union, both capable of mutual destruction. However, by the decade's end, the landscape had dramatically changed, with many dividing lines, including Europe's, erased. The engagement between Gorbachev and Reagan was pivotal in this transformation, while Thatcher's role was unexpectedly significant. She was seen by Reagan as a political ally but also forged a strong relationship with Gorbachev even before he assumed power. By advocating Gorbachev in Washington as a viable partner, she emerged as "an agent of influence in both directions," according to her foreign policy adviser, Sir Percy Cradock.