Political reformism and leadership performance in closed systems: the cases of Deng and Gorbachev in comparative perspective

Abstract

This research is about more useful/plausible and less useful/plausible representations of the relationship between political leaders and institutional change processes. The main argument goes as follows. Asking “How political leaders structure change?” is a useful, legitimate, and relevant exercise in the context of studying periods of significant institutional change. This argument is developed by examining the relationship between Deng Xiaoping’s and Mikhail Gorbachev’s exercise of power and the policy change processes in China and the Soviet Union, respectively.