Which policy in the Soviet Union aimed at increasing openness and transparency?

• A. Glasnost
• B. Perestroika
• C. Detente
• D. Censorship

Answer: (A)

Openness and transparency in government and society were pursued through a reform that loosened controls on information and encouraged public discussion. Glasnost, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s, promoted open conversation about social and political issues, allowed more freedom for the press, and encouraged airing problems that had previously been censored or hidden. This shift directly embodies the idea of greater transparency. Perestroika, while about restructuring the economy and making political reforms, centers on economic change and governance, not specifically on openness of information. Detente focuses on easing tensions with other nations, not internal openness. Censorship, on the other hand, suppresses information rather than expanding it. So the policy aimed at increasing openness and transparency is Glasnost.