ABSTRACT
The position of orthodox communist diehards seemed to have become stronger than in the 1960s, and the margins for political reforms reduced. The communist delegations were mainly interested in security and economic cooperation, whereas several Western delegations were more focused on cultural exchanges and personal freedom. The early and mid-1970s were probably the best years of Leonid Brezhnev's long career as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), a reign that lasted from 1964 till 1982. Poland was the only Eastern European country during the 1970s where there were mass protests against the communist regime. The early and mid-1970s witnessed a brief period of growth and success for the communist states, in particular for the Soviet bloc. Supported by Western loans, the Soviet Union and most Eastern European economies underwent a period of economic growth and rising standards of living.
