"The political and economic changes that occurred in the Soviet Union in the six and one-half years of Mikhail Gorbachev's tenure as General Secretary were breathtaking in their scope and rapidity, going far beyond most observeiS' expectatiom. Certainly, the process of refonn which we call perestroilal transfonned the ossified one-party socialist state that had prevailed underGorbachev's predecessors. The reasons for embarking on such a coume of reform were varied-eamomic aism and a decline in the Soviet state's ability to provide social welfare services for its citizens, an increasingly
apathetic population, and a tense international environment-all of
these factoiS convinced the Soviet leadeiShip of the necessity of drastic
change. The policies of Gorbachev set refonn in motion: freeing public
expression (glllsnost); encouraging economic decentralization and private
initiative; and creating a more cooperative relationship with the West."

Charles F. Furtado

Acknowledgments--1 Introduction--2 Documents from the Center--Program of the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union,--Speech by CPSU General Secretary,Mikhail S. Gorbachev to the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee,--Resolution of the 19th All-Union CPSU Conference: "On Interethnic Relations," --USSR Law on Amendments and Additions to the USSR Constitution (Fundamental Law) -- Draft Nationalities Policy of the Party Under Present Conditions (CPSU Platform), Adopted at the CPSU Central Committee Plenum -- USSR Supreme Soviet Declaration on Recognizing as illegal and Criminal the Repressive Acts Against Peoples Subjected to Forcible Resettlement and on Ensuring Their Rights -- USSR Law on Procedure for Resolving Questions Connected with a Union Republic's Secession from the USSR -- Resolution of the 28th CPSU Congress: "A Democratic Nationalities Policy Is the Way to Voluntary Union,--Peace, and Harmony Among the Peoples," --The Shatalin Plan for Economic Stabilization -- Law of the USSR on Additional Measures to Stabilize the Economic and Sociopolitical Life of the Country -- Treaty of the Union of Sovereign States -- Message to the Soviet People from the State Committee for the State of Emergency -- Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms -- Statement by Mikhail S. Gorbachev on the Commonwealth of Independent States -- 3 Documents from the Baltic Republics--Introduction--Documents from Estonia--Proposal for the Creation of the Estonian National Independence Party -- Reaction of the Popular Front of Estonia to the Draft Amendments to the USSR Constitution -- Law of the Estonian SSR on Making Changes in and Additions to the Estonian Constitution -- Declaration of the Estonian Supreme Soviet in Respect of the Sovereignty of the Estonian SSR,--Decree of the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium on the Nonconformity of the Estonian SSR Law: 'On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution(Basic Law) of the Estonian SSR/ and the Estonian SSR Supreme Soviet Declaration on the Sovereignty of the Estonian SSR -- Speech by M.S. Gorbachev to the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium -- Speech by Arnold Ruutel, Chairman of the Estonian SSR Supreme Soviet Presidium, to the USSR Supreme Soviet,--Language Law of the Estonian SSR -- Resolution of the Estonian SSR Supreme Soviet Presidium: "On Measures to Ensure Lawfulness and Law and Order in the Republic," --USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium Decree: "On the Non-Accordance with the USSR Constitution of Some Clauses of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Law, 'On Introduction of Amendments and Additions to the Estonian SSR Constitution--(Fundamental Law)' and the Estonian SSR Law, 'On Elections to Local Soviets of People's Deputies in the Estonian SSR,'" --Statement by the Republican Council of Representatives of Strike Committees of the FSSR,--Draft Action Program of the Communist Party of Estonia [CPE],--Draft Law of the Estonian SSR: "On the National Rights of Citizens of the Estonian SSR,"--Election Platform of the Popular Front of Estonia -- Decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR on the Historic-Juridical Evaluation of the Events in Estonia in 1940 -- Resolution of the Estonian SSR Supreme Soviet on Preparations for Estonian State Independence -- Manifesto of the Congress of Estonia -- Conclusions of the Congress of Estonia on Steps Toward Restoring the Independence of the Republic of Estonia (Program of Action) -- Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR on the State Status of Estonia -- Republic of Estonia Law on the Basic Principles of Provisional Rule in Estonia -- Decree of the Estonian Supreme Soviet on Relations with the USSR -- Statement by USSR President Mikhail S. Gorbachev in Response to the 7 August Decree of the Estonian Supreme Soviet,--Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia to Hold a Referendum on the Issue of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Estonia -- Statement by the Government of the Republic of Estonia -- The Republic of Estonia Supreme Council Resolution on the National Independence of Estonia, --Letter from the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia Arnold Ruutel Addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,--Documents from Latvia--Resolution of the Board of the Latvian SSR Writers' Association,--Announcement from the Initiative Group of the Latvian National Independence Movement -- Draft Law on Addendum to Latvian SSR Constitution (Basic Law),--Resolution of the Latvian SSR Supreme Soviet: "On Measures to Arrest Unjustified Mechanical Growth of the Population and to Regulate Migration Processes in the Latvian SSR,"--Resolution of the Latvian SSR Supreme Soviet Presidium on the Activity of the Latvian National Independence Movement,--Law on Languages of the Latvian SSR,--Draft Law of the Latvian SSR: "On the Economic Independence of the Latvian SSR,"--Latvian SSR Supreme Soviet Presidium Resolution on Activity to Form Citizens' Committees,--Draft Amendment of Article 31 of the Constitution (Basic Law) of the Latvian SSR,--Declaration of the Latvian SSR Supreme Soviet on the National Sovereignty of Latvia,--Popular Front of Latvia Statement on CPSU Baltic Resolution,--Decision of the Latvian SSR Supreme Soviet Presidium on Proposals for Making Changes in the Legislation on Military Service,--Changes to the Latvian SSR Constitution on the Legal Status of Alternative Parties,--Election Program of the Popular Front of Latvia,--Draft Program of the Independent Communist Party of Latvia,--Declaration of the Latvian Supreme Soviet on the Restoration of State Independence,--Decree of the Latvian Supreme Soviet Presidium Regarding Participation in the Elaboration and Adoption of a Union Treaty,--Decree of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia About the Unacceptable Criminal Activity of Special Forces Militia Units and USSR Armed Forces in the Territory of the Republic of Latvia,--Declaration of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia on the Extraordinary Congress of Baltic Military Officers,--Appeal of the Latvian Supreme Soviet to the Soviet Armed Forces,--The Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia on the Status of the Republic of Latvia as a State,--Letter from the Vice-Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia Dainis lvans to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,--Documents from Lithutmia--The Program of Demands of the Lithuanian Restructuring Movement, Sajudis,--Proposals by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania [CPU] to the CPSU Central Committee Plenum: "On Improvement of International Relations in the USSR," --Draft Constitution (Basic Law) of the Lithuanian SSR,--Lithuanian SSR Supreme Soviet Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Lithuania,--Lithuanian SSR Law on the Introduction of Amendments to the Lithuanian SSR Constitution (Basic Law),--Appeal by the Lithuanian SSR …