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Domestic and Economic Aspects of Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy

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Soviet Foreign Policy

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Abstract

The special Party Conference convoked by Mikhail Gorbachev in early July 1988 had little to say directly about foreign policy as such. Having given approval to the INF missile Treaty and the plans for withdrawing Soviet troops from Afghanistan, its resolutions then concluded with a paragraph that closely linked such issues to internal concerns. ‘Foreign policy activity’ they read, ‘should contribute ever more to releasing the country’s resources for peaceful construction, for perestroik?, and should be closely tied in with the democratization of society, including making decisions and verification of compliance with the decisions made’.1

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Notes

  1. New York Times, ? July 1988, p. 9.

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  2. Stephen F. Cohen, Sovieticus. American Perceptions and Soviet Realitie?, New York, Norton, 1986, pp. 139–42, makes this point about American diplomacy, but it is applicable to superpower relations in general.

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  3. A typical Soviet exposition of the new ‘defensive’ doctrine is Marshal S. Akhromeev, ‘Doktrina predotvrashcheniia voiny, zashchity mira i sotsializma’, Problemy mira i sotsializm? 1987, no. 12, pp. 23–8. For recent Western assessments of its purport see my ‘Gorbachev, the Military and Perestroika’, International Perspective?, May-June, 1988, pp. 10–12; and Gerhard Wettig, ‘New Development of Military Doctrine’, Aussen Politi?, 1988, no. 2, pp. 169–81.

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  4. Vadim Zagladin, Pravd?, 13 June 1988, p. 1.

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  5. Vestnik Ministerstva innostrannykh del SSS?, 10 September 1987, pp. 3–6. For another recent Soviet study connecting foreign policy with economic factors, and calling for realism in military matters, see A. I. Iziumov and A. Kortunov, ‘The Soviet Union in the Changing World’, International Affair?, Moscow, 1988, no. 8, pp. 46–56.

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  6. M. S. Gorbachev, Bystree perestraivat ‘sia, deistvovat’ po novom?, Moscow: Politizdat, 1986, pp. 43–5.

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  7. See, for example, M. I. Piskotin, Sovetskoe biudzhetnoe prav?, Moscow, Finansy, 1971, p. 11; and F. S. Massarygin, Finansovaia sistema SSS?, Moscow, Finansy, 1968, pp. 119–20. In this regard, R. A. Faramazian’s comments about the USA in Razoruzhenie i ekonomik?, Moscow, Mysl’; 1978, seem equally applicable to the Soviet Union.

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  8. ASS International Service, ‘Speech to the All-Union Congress of Trade Unions’, Moscow, 25 February 1987?

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  9. US Defense Intelligence Agency, Statement to the Subcommittee on National Defense Economics Joint Economic Committe?, Washington, 14 September 1987, p. 8.

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  10. ‘Speech to All-Union Congress of Trade Unions’.

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  11. Pravd?, 15 June 1974, p. 1.

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  12. CIA/DIA, Joint Submission to the Subcommittee on Economic Resources, Competitiveness and Security Economics, Joint Economic Committee, US Congress, The Soviet Economy Under a New Leade?, Washington, 16 March 1986, p. 35.

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  13. Daniel Ford, ‘A Reporter at Large (Perestroik?)’, New Yorke?, 28March 1988, p. 68. For a recent Soviet response to the ‘Upper Volta’ type of comment see A. I. Iziumov, ‘Ekonomika SSSR: Vzgliad s Zapada’, Politicheskoe samoobrazovani?, 1988, no. 13, pp. 68ff.

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  14. Cited by Ford, ‘A Reporter at Large’, p. 68.

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  15. New York Time?, 8 May 1988, pp. F1, F26.

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  16. Pravd?, 19 February 1988, p. 1; 20 February 1988, pp. 1–2; New York Time?, 7 May 1988, p. 4.

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  17. See, for example, the informed assessments of Allan H. Meltzer, ‘The “System” is Still the Problem’, Los Angeles Time?, 29 May 1988, p. IV.2; and Philip Taubman, ‘The Russians Hear Dazzling Ideas, While They Wait for Delivery’, pp. El–E2.

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  18. N. V. Ogarkov, Vsegda v gotovnosti k zashchite Otechestv?, Moscow: Voenizdat, 1982, pp. 30ff.

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  19. ‘O perestroika i kadrovoi politike partii’, Sovetskaia Rossii?, 28 January 1987, p. 1.

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  20. Ford, ‘A Reporter at Large’, p. 68.

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  21. JPRS, USSR National Affairs, Political and Social Development?, 28 May 1985, pp. R1–R3.

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  22. or typical descriptions of Gorbachev’s economic reforms see the articles by John E. Tedstrom and others in Problems of Communis?, July—August 1987, passi?; C. P. Armstrong and T. Rakowska-Harmstone, Gorbache?, ‘Refor?’, and the USS?, Toronto, Mackenzie Institute, 1987; Gertrude E. Schroeder, ‘Anatomy of Gorbachev’s Economic Reform’, Soviet Econom?, July-September 1987, no. 3., pp. 219–41; and the numerous items listed in J. M. Battle and T. D. Sherlock (eds) Gorbachev’s Reforms: An Annotated Bibliography of Soviet Writings, Part I: 1985–June 198?, Gulf Breeze, Fl, Academic International Press,1988. For a Soviet analysis of Western treatments of the economic reforms se? Iziumov, ‘Ekonomika SSSR’, pp. 69ff.

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  23. For discussions of the productivity issue see The Soviet Economy Under a New Leader, passi?; the CIA’s/DIA’s more recent Gorbachev’s Economic Reform: Problems Emerg?, Washington, 13 April 1988, pp. 9ff; and Richard R. Kaufman’s paper ‘Industrial Modernization and Defense in the Soviet Union’, presented to the NATO Economics Colloquium in Brussels, 1–3 April 1987, p. 15.

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  24. The predictions of Jones,‘Gorbachev’, p. 12, and James T. Westwood,‘The USSR’s 12th Five-Year Plan and Its Zero-Growth Defense Budget’, D. R. Jones (ed.) Soviet Armed Forces Review Annual 11: 1987–198?, Gulf Breeze, Fla, Academic International Press, 1989, have seemingly been confirmed by Army General Vitali Shabanov, the Deputy Minister of Defence for Armaments. Speaking at a news conference in late July 1988, he connected a decrease in defence spending and military procurement with the new‘defensive’ doctrine, Washington Pos?, 27 July 1988, pp. Al, A18.

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  25. See, for example, Jeremy R. Azreal, The Soviet Civilian Leadership and the Military High Command, 1976–198?, Santa Monica, Ca, Rand R-3521-AF, June 1987, and Abraham S. Becker, Ogarko?’s Complaint and Gorbache?’s Dilemma: The Soviet Defense Budget and Party-Military Conflic?, Santa Monica, Ca, Rand R-3541-AF, December 1987.

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  26. Jerry Hough,‘Russia and the Third World: The Revolutionary Road Runs Out’, The Natio?, 1 June 1985, pp. 666–8. Also see the later similar if more cautious assessments of Francis Fukuyama, Mosco?’s Post-Brezhnev Reassessment of the Third Worl?, Santa Monica, Ca, Rand R-3337-USDP, February 1986; and Harry Gelman, The Soviet Union in the Third World: A Retrospective Overview and Prognosi?, Santa Monica, Ca, Rand OPS-006, March 1986.

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  27. N. V. Ogarkov. Istoriia uchit bdite? ’nost?, Moscow, Voenizdat, 1985, pp. 50–1.

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  28. M. S. Gorbachev,‘Politicheskii doklad Tsentral ’nogo komiteta KPSS XXVII s’ezdu Kommunisticheskoi partii Sovetskogo Soiuza’, XXVII ?’ezd Kommunisticheskoi partii Sovetskogo Soiuza. Stenograficheskii otche?’, Moscow, Politizdat, 1986, pp. 86–7.

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  29. Hedrick Smith,‘On the Road With Gorbachev’s Guru’, New York Times Magazin?, 10 April 1988, p. 42.

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  30. In their report Gorbachev’s Economic Program: Problems Emerg?, p. 36, the CIA and DIA argue that the short-term savings from agreements such as the INF Treaty are questionable, but that the long-term impact could be more substantial if the plant and workers involved in these and other systems are switched to civilian production. For a recent Soviet study of such possible ‘conversions’ see A. I. Iziumov,‘The Other Side of Disarmament’, International Affair?, Moscow, 1988, no. 5, pp. 82–8. p. 114. A more pessimistic appraisal of the possible benefits is that of J. O. Dendy,‘The Soviet Military Challenge’, in Brian MacDonald (ed.) The Soviet Military Challeng?, Toronto, Canadian Institute for Strategic Studies, 1988, pp. 157–69. It must also be remembered that relative to the total military budget, nuclear and strategic systems absorb a comparatively small percentage. Thus the CIA regularly estimated that during 1967–77, the time of the ‘sustained military build-up’, the service most involved with such weapons (the Strategic Rocket Forces) consumed only 8–10 per cent of the total operating and investment budgets. The Ground, Air and Air Defense Forces, on the other hand, took up jointly from 52 to 68 per cent of the total. In addition, total operating expenditures have always outstripped the combined funds allocated to investment and research and development. For these reasons, serious savings from the defence budget may well demand a radical‘restructuring’ of the Soviet Armed Forces that will significantly reduce their overall numbers. For typical CIA assessments see the National Foreign Assessment Center’s Soviet and US Defense Activities, 1971–80: A Dollar Cost Compariso?, Washington: SR 81–10005, January 1981, pp. 2–4, and Estimated Soviet Defense Spending: Trends and Prospect?, Washington, SR 78–10121, June 1978, p. 3.

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  31. Hough,‘Russia and the Third World’, pp. 667–8.

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  32. These developments will be assessed in other chapters in this volume, but one should note that Moscow has already moved farther in reducing its Third World commitments than either Fukuyama or Gelman anticipated (note 26).

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  33. See, for example, Bill Keller,‘The Consolidator: Why a Stronger Gorbachev Might Not Be Strong Enough’, New York Time?, 9 October 1988, p. El.

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  34. Smith,‘On the Road with Gorbachev’s Guru’, p. 42.

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  35. New York Time?, 25 April 1988, p. 25. Also see the CIA/DIA submission to the US Congress Joint Economic Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security Economics, Gorbache?’s Modernization Program: A Status Repor?, Washington, 19 March 1987, pp. 33–4, and Gorbache?’s Economic Progra?, pp. 39–42.

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  36. CIA/DIA, Gorbache?’s Modernization Progra?, p. 33.

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  37. Ibid, p. 34; Paul L. Montgomery,‘Soviets’ European Trade Bid’, New York Time?, 11 June 1988, p. 42. Also see following chapters.

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  38. New York Time?, 7 May 1988, p. 4; 8 May 1988, p. F1; and Ivan D. Ivanov,‘Restructuring the Mechanism of Foreign Economic Relations in the USSR’, Soviet Econom?, July-September 1987, p. 192.

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  39. Smith, p. 42.

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  40. On the joint ventures see CIA/DIA, Gorbachev’s Modernization Progra?, p. 33; Gorbachev’s Economic Progra?, p. 41; and Smith, p. 42.

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  41. New York Time?, 8 May 1988, pp. F1, F26. The present writer was informed of the stock transfer by Dr Joseph Mastro of North Carolina State University in May 1988.

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  42. Smith, p. 42; New York Time?, 11 Ma? 1988, p. 31.

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  43. On Tsarist efforts at arms control and economic development, see Theodore H. Von Laue, Sergei Witte and the Industrialization of Russi? (New York: Columbia University Press, 1963) pp. 155–6.

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  44. Smith, p. 42.

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Authors
  1. David R. Jones
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soviet and East European Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

    Carl G. Jacobsen (Director-designate, Head) (Director-designate, Head)

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© 1989 Carl G. Jacobsen

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Jones, D.R. (1989). Domestic and Economic Aspects of Gorbachev’s Foreign Policy. In: Jacobsen, C.G. (eds) Soviet Foreign Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-11341-5_3

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