The social ethical aspect of events during perestroika and several following years is a subject of the article. By the author opinion, it have been the heydays of liberal ethical values, of romantic hopes and expectations and public demand for justice and honesty of authorities. Unfortunately, substantial underestimation of moral factors' meaning in the reforming process engendered resulting moral crisis, general disappointment in liberalism and other long-term negative consequences. Acquirement of intellectual and political liberties coincided of time with catastrophic economic situation and urgent necessity of hard measures conduct. It have been made and saved the country from economic collapse but for high political price, being joined wrongly in mass consciousness with liberal approach as such. The dynamic of people tolerance' exhaustment to material impoverishment for benefit of political freedom is considered. The paradox of double, contradictory treatment of liberalism both in Soviet intellectual and bureaucratic circles is described. Exorbitant continuity of former soviet administrative personnel engendered moral anomy, identity crisis and alienation among them because inherited officials proved to be unprepared both morally and professionally for work in principally other situation of transit. It promoted development of systemic corruption. The phenomenon of deceived trust, addressed both to personal and institutional level of governance, underlined public trust to democratic institutions and state as such and even believe in principal possibility to have honest government. In concluding part of the article author turns to contemporary situation and founds in it a certain grounds for optimism. It based on revival of demand for social justice and unwillingness to tolerate absence of it more. Public protest considers in this context as a normal element of social activity and political participation, as precondition for civil society existence. Also such form of liberal values revival, intuitive sometimes, as forming of horizontal connections and parallel political structures in different areas of social life, what makes them maximally independent from state bureaucracy, is marked.