Academic analysis has not always kept pace with the dramatic changes that have occurred in the USSR since Stalin's time, for objective study has often been overshadowed-especially in the 1980s-by publicity concerning the negative aspects of the "Evil Empire." Recently, however, because of reforms initiated by Gorbachev, the dynamics of the Soviet system have come into sharper focus. This book provides a wide-ranging, detailed view of economic, social, ideological, and literary aspects of the Soviet system leading up to the Gorbachev era. The essays include both historical and contemporary perspectives on the sources of stability (and stagnation) in the post-Stalin years. Examining the intricate fabric of Soviet society, the contributors provide insights into the social and cultural motivations for Gorbachev's "restructuring" policies. Their themes echo the work of Vera S. Dunham, who for more than four decades has focused on diverse aspects of Soviet society and culture, particularly on the noncoercive means of social control that have often been overlooked but that are a vital component of the Soviet system.

This book focuses on several domestic policy areas and one area of foreign policy (Sino-Soviet relations) that have been central to the policy agendas of Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev. It examines policies in each area in light of their ideological justification. .

Academic analysis has not always kept pace with the dramatic changes that have occurred in the USSR since Stalin's time, for objective study has often been overshadowed-especially in the 1980s-by publicity concerning the negative aspects of the "Evil Empire." Recently, however, because of reforms initiated by Gorbachev, the dynamics of the Soviet system have come into sharper focus. This book provides a wide-ranging, detailed view of economic, social, ideological, and literary aspects of the Soviet system leading up to the Gorbachev era. The essays include both historical and contemporary perspectives on the sources of stability (and stagnation) in the post-Stalin years. Examining the intricate fabric of Soviet society, the contributors provide insights into the social and cultural motivations for Gorbachev's "restructuring" policies. Their themes echo the work of Vera S. Dunham, who for more than four decades has focused on diverse aspects of Soviet society and culture, particularly on the noncoercive means of social control that have often been overlooked but that are a vital component of the Soviet system.

Representing a milestone of further accomplishment in scholarly investigation of the dialectics for ideological evolution in the USSR, this book will be a treasure for all who are interested in the development of Soviet ideology and should merit the attention of all specialists in Soviet studies. It is uniquely valuable because it is the first ext