Political Leadership In The Soviet Union

This book looks at the phenomena of the Gorbachev era in light of the history of the changing (and unchanging) factors in the nature of Soviet leadership ever since 1917. Personalities have counted, especially in the time of high Stalinism, but institutions count even more. The five authors are well versed in the nuts and bolts of the system and in the exploration of how political power in the Soviet Union is gained, used and sometimes lost.