Gorbachev and the Soviet military

Abstract

Abstract : Although Mikhail Gorbachev's tenure can be characterized as an age of restructuring, changes in the military have been relatively subdued. Moderation and continuity are the most appropriate terms to describe the processes that have taken place. Perestroika, which has shaken the ranks of the Party and government bureaucracies, has been used much less in the military sphere. In the military press, glasnost also has a rather superficial character. Gorbachev gives considerably less time to military affairs than to other subjects of concern, such as economics or cadre policy. But in fact, the importance of the military under Gorbachev has not been reduced. It has grown. However, the role the military plays in society has changed. This change has occurred as part of the larger changes in the institutional structure of Soviet society under the new leadership-changes that increase the role of the Soviet military affairs. However, the increased role of these two political institutions does not mean that defense matters have declined in importance. The relationships among institutions in Soviet politics cannot be characterized as a zero-sum game, particularly in matters of national security.