Introduction

In the Soviet political system, "ideology" in the broadest sense refers to the body of philosophical principles considered axiomatic in Marxism-Leninism. In contrast, the "normative" component of ideology is generally more visible. Highly flexible by nature, norms change in response to the values of the leader in power and the evolving needs of the political system. Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward in 1958 had been at least partly designed as an ideological challenge to the Soviets, not in the least because it was almost certainly modeled on Joseph Stalin's "Great Leap" in the collectivization of agriculture. Leonid Brezhnev set out to reverse Nikita Khrushchev's interpretation of Lenin. In the broadest terms, Brezhnev's ideological values and political agenda were based on a rejection of the "cult of personality" leadership style adopted by both Stalin and Khrushchev. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.