1. the policy of restructuring and reforming the economic and political system of the Soviet Union in the 1980s
Usage: historical; often capitalized

Examples

• Gorbachev introduced perestroika to modernize the Soviet economy.
• The policy of perestroika led to significant changes in Eastern Europe.
• Many historians view perestroika as a key factor in the end of the Cold War.
• Under perestroika, some private enterprise was allowed in the Soviet Union.
• The reforms of perestroika were accompanied by glasnost, or openness.
• Perestroika represented a dramatic shift from traditional Soviet policies.