FORTUNE AND FATE

In: The national interest, Band 31, S. 19-25

Abstract

AUTHOR, MYRON RUSH SUGGESTS THAT--VIABLE BUT VULNERABLE, THE SOVIET UNION WAS HOSTAGE TO BAD FORTUNE. THAT THE REFORMS GORBACHEV ADOPTED WERE NOT THE RESULT OF A NECESSITY IMPOSED ON THE SOVIET LEADERSHIP BY THE THREAT OF THE REGIME'S IMMINENT COLLAPSE, NOT WAS IT DUE TO PRESSURES EMERGING FROM SOCIETY WHEREBY DISGRUNTLED WORKERS AND A REFORMIST INTELLIGENTIAS IMPOSED THEIR WILL ON THE LEADERSHIP. HE SUGGESTS THAT THE SOVIET UNION SUCCUMBED TO ILL-CONCEIVED REFORMS ORIGINATING IN THE LEADERSHIP, TO POOR GOVERNANCE, AND TO BAD FORTUNE.