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glasnost

a policy of openness and transparency in government

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Where does the word "glasnost" come from? It comes from Russian glasnost, and was adopted directly into English (1980s).

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Where does the word "glasnost" come from? It comes from Russian glasnost, and was adopted directly into English (1980s).

Glasnost’s story begins in Russian: glasnost meant “openness, publicity.” Literally openness, Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of government transparency. It reached English by 1980s as glasnost. Russian 'openness', Mikhail Gorbachev's reform slogan of 1986. Today, glasnost means a policy of openness and transparency in government.

  1. Stage 1 · Russian · 1980s glasnost "openness, publicity", literally openness, Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of government transparency.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1980s glasnost "a policy of open government transparency", Russian 'openness', Mikhail Gorbachev's reform slogan of 1986.

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