ABSTRACT
In Mikhail Gorbachev's vision, the bloc should move in the direction of a somewhat leaner system of central planning, with greater autonomy for enterprises, better labor discipline, more attention to the market and to consumer demand, and exclusive incentives for quality. The Gorbachev leadership apparently wants to set limits on Eastern European trade and economic links with Western countries—a goal confirmed at the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) Council session of June 25-27, 1985. Under Brezhnev, the CMEA membership approved a "Comprehensive Program for the Further Intensification of Cooperation and for the Development of Socialist Economic Integration," which remains the subject of discussion even today. Integration and cooperation in the CMEA tend to translate into Soviet control of the agenda, both because of the centralized structure within which cooperation is fostered and because of the USSR's overwhelming predominance in political, military, and economic resources.
