The International Department of the Soviet Communist Party and Related KGB Activities

Abstract

Despite the diversity of their propaganda, the basic thrust of any campaign mounted by the international front organisations is decided in a centralised manner at the summit of Soviet policy making. To understand the role of these organisations in Soviet foreign policy, some knowledge is required of the Soviet control mechanisms as exercised through the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPSU. In this connection, it should be remembered that policy-making takes place at the highest levels of the CPSU. The Soviet government itself, including the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is no more than the most important ‘transmission belt’ (in the Leninist sense). The Party is supreme in all matters. Furthermore the propaganda and political work of the international front organisations is but one part of an intricate and highly coordinated effort involving senior levels of the Soviet Party, the Soviet Government, and the Soviet intelligence services. It is thus in the context of the highest Soviet foreign policy formulation that these organisations’ work must be seen. Subject only to the Politburo itself, the CPSU’s International Department is principally responsible for the formulation of this policy.