ABSTRACT
The assumption of power by Mikhail Gorbachev in March 1985 may well prove to be a major turning point in Soviet history. Gorbachev was fortunate that his accession to power was soon followed by a party congress that gave him the opportunity to make major changes in the membership of the Central Committee and other party organs. There is no greater challenge for the Gorbachev leadership than that posed by the economy. Soviet agriculture consistently fails to meet production needs. There is much justification for Gorbachev's criticism of the policies of the Brezhnev era, including those pertaining to the economy. Gorbachev's experience with economic reform has been difficult. The seriousness with which Gorbachev is approaching foreign policy problems is evident in his impressive appointments for foreign policy leadership. Gorbachev's cultural policies, like those affecting the economy and party and state affairs, recall important themes from the Nikita Khrushchev years.
