Introduction

The Soviet Union, in the aftermath of the Brezhnev era, may well stand at a crossroads in its history. According to the authors of this volume, the Chernenko administration and the new generation of political leaders now on the threshold of power must steer through a difficult period in the USSR's international relations, especially where the U.S. is concerned, continuing to assert what they regard as the legitimate Soviet role as a world superpower while coping with an inflexible and aging political system, a stagnant economy, and growing social problems. The contributors provide a careful consideration of the choices confronting the USSR as this new era begins and analyze the paths its leaders may take as they grapple with the challenges of the 1980s.