Brezhnev

• Communist Government under Brezhnev

  • Corruption.
  • Stability.
  • Political Stagnation.
  • Restoration of the Party.
  • Andropov and Chernenko.
• Stability in government under Brezhnev

  • Brezhnev-Kosygin Pact; prevented the emergence of an all-powerful leader; divided key posts equally between allies of Kosygin and Brezhnev; ensured officials kept their jobs to limit patronage opportunities to increase power.Emigration was Andropov’s preferred weapon against well-known dissidents.
  • 'Stability of Cadres'; discouraged promotions and demotions within the Party; meant fewer battles over patronage; ensured support from government officials due to job security; replaced Khrushchev's unpopular term limits.
• Restoration of the Party under Brezhnev

  • Ended split between industry and agriculture.
  • Article 6 of the 1977 Constitution declares the 'special position' and 'leading role' of the CPSU in the lives of Soviet citizens.
  • Centralisation; re-established All-Union Ministries; reversed decentralisation.
• Corruption in government under Brezhnev

  • Soviet officials knew they could get rich by using their positions because they could not be demoted.
  • Under Brezhnev, sackings were rare and so there were few opportunities for advancement.
  • Yury Sokolov, the Director of a Moscow Food Store, took bribes from rich customers for luxury foods.
  • Gelina Brezhneva's lover 'Boris the Gypsy' made millions smuggling diamonds out of the USSR.
• Political Stagnation in Government under Brezhnev

  • From 1966-1971, 80-90% of the Central Committe kept their jobs.
  • Few promotion opportunities meant no incentive to work hard.
  • From 1964-71, only 2 new members of the Politburo.
  • 'Stability of Cadres' meant middle-ranking officials were stuck in dead-end jobs.
  • Gerontocracy; in 1982 the average age of Politburo was 75; in 1981 average age of Central Committe was 62; generational divide between society and the state; senior officials too ill to do their jobs.
• Andropov and Chernenko's communist government

  • Andropov; allowed a younger generation to rise and abandoned 'Stability of Cadres' by replacing 1/4 of officials; launched anti-corruption and labour productivity campaigns.
  • Chernenko; unwilling to consider major reform; sick for most of his time in office; facilitated the rise of Gorbachev by allowing him to host many of Chernenko's meetings.