Glasnost
Etymology
Russian “гласность” (glasnost), literally “publicity” or “openness,” from “glas” (“voice”). Though an old Russian word, Gorbachev gave it fresh political weight from 1986. It named the relaxation of censorship that let ordinary citizens criticize the state for the first time in decades.
noun · /GLAZ-nost/
The policy of government openness and freer speech introduced in the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s.
What it names
The deliberate loosening of censorship from the top — a useful handle for any regime that tries to reform by letting people speak.
Example
Under glasnost, newspapers began printing stories the Kremlin had buried for years.
Related idea
Distinguish it from perestroika, its companion policy of economic and political “restructuring” — glasnost opened up speech, while perestroika tried to rebuild the system itself.