Word: brezhnevs
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Prior to the death of Leonid Brezhnev, a fairly strong consensus had emerged among Kremlinologists that Yuri Andropov would be the next Soviet Premier. Now Soviet experts are speculating on what Andropov's assumption of power means for Russia and for the rest of the world. The Crimson this week interviewed three Soviet specialists from Harvard's Russian Research Center on their views of this post-Brezhnev era. The participants were Assistant Professor of Government Mark R. Beissinger, David E. Powell, a Russian Research Center associate who recently wrote a book entitled Anti-Religious Propaganda in the Soviet Union...
Tsypkin: There is really no reason for Andropov to embark on a policy of cutting defense spending. The risks inherent are considerable for him personally because he would undermine the successes in foreign policy that Brezhnev enjoyed. Those successes were based on the buildup of Soviet military might. At the same time he would undermine foreign policy, he would undermine his support in the military...Also, it would take a very long time to turn the Soviet economy around. Meanwhile, what would you do with the millions of people engaged in military production? Moreover, it is my impression that...
Crimson: In the past several years, we saw evidence of Brezhnev's waning power and movement by the massive Soviet bureaucracy to take over that power. Do you see Andropov coming in and usurping any of that power back from the bureaucracy...
Powell: In every system, there is a contest between the bureaucracy and the top leader...I think Andropov is better informed [than Mr. Brezhnev]. According to our intelligence people, in his final years. Mr. Brezhnev apparently was only able to function four hours a day. That didn't give him much control over himself, much less over the bureaucracy...
Crimson: Will we see Andropov persecuting Russian dissidents more or less fervently than Brezhnev did during his time as leader of the Soviet Union...