They weakened control of the Soviet Union over its states.
Such policies actually served to build better relations with the West, as it brought the Soviet society further from Lenin's original, and closer to the US's Capitalist society. They also increased democracy, allowing for freedom of speech and eventually bringing the Soviet Union to add more democratic aspects into their society (demokratizatsiya). However, these new policies resulted in weakened control over the states. Free speech meant many spoke out against the Soviet regime and communism, and perestroika eventually led to government spending spiraling out of control, weakening the government's control. Communism in the East had only really been held together by harsh policies and strong leadership, quashing rebellions and being prepared to kill to preserve the Soviet influence. Once this had gone, rebellion was common.
