Soviet Succession 198?; Continuity or Change.

Abstract

Since 1917, the Soviet Union has had only four top leaders--Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev--for an appreciable length of time. While each period of succession had unique features, many consistencies can be identified which point toward the existence of enduring power variables within the system. The communist party, the military, and the heavy industrial interests have evolved as the key means through which leaders and potential leaders gain their strength. No one can successfully rule the Soviet Union without the support of these interest groups. This thesis discusses the functioning of these interests during periods of transition in order to support projections about the future. Conclusions are then offered regarding implications for U.S. strategy, given the probability of generational change in the Soviet leadership in the near future. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1981
Accession Number
ADA104626

Entities

People

  • Theodore R. Milton Jr

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Economic Systems
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Foreign Relations
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Management Personnel
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Recreation
  • Sociopolitics
  • United States

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Systems Analysis and Design