To what Extent Can Mikhail Gorbachev Be Held Responsible for the Collapse of the USSR?

The collapse of the USSR was one of the most important events of the twentieth century and it is undeniable that Mikhail Gorbachev played a part in the break up. But to answer the above question we have to look at factors out with Gorbachev's control, while also analysing what he did wrong, how he reacted to problems, and the consequences of the reforms he put in place, so that we are able to come to a conclusion on just how important his role in the downfall of the Soviet Union was.
There are many factors in the collapse that could be argued to have nothing to do with Gorbachev. For example, the geography of the country and the wide spread of nationalities had always been a problem for the USSR. Some figures claim that there was as many as 800 different national groups and about 130 different languages within the Union . …