2.A Brief Review of the Formal Characteristics of the System

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Acknowledgments vii
3. Contents xiii
4. Part I. Introductory
5. 1.The Harvard Project on the Soviet Social System, and Its Data 3
6. Part II. Operating characteristics of the soviet system
7. 2.A Brief Review of the Formal Characteristics of the System 19
8. 3.Creating and Maintaining Myths 29
9. 4.Planning and Controlling 36
10. 5.Problem Solving, the Overcommitment of Resources, and "Storming" 46
11. 6.Refusal to Allow Independent Concentrations of Power 53
12. 7. Terror and Forced Labor 68
13. 8.Informal Adjustive Mechanisms 74
14. 9.Rigidity-Flexibility 82
15. 10.Caution at Major Risks in Foreign Affairs 86
16. Part III. The individual in soviet society
17. 11.Soviet Policy Toward the Individual 93
18. 12.Sources of Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction 96
19. 13.Attitudes Toward the Soviet System 114
20. 14.Attitudes Toward the West 123
21. 15.Some Aspects of Russian National Character 134
22. 16.Political Loyalty of Individuals 143
23. Part IV. Social and psychological characteristics of specific groups
24. 17.The Ruling Elite 155
25. 18.The Intelligentsia 174
26. 19.The Peasants 181
27. 20.The Workers 186
28. 21.Generational Differences 190
29. 22.Nationality Groups 199
30. Part V. Conclusions
31. 23.Summary 211
32. 24.Some Evaluations by the Authors 220
33. 25.Some Forecasts by the Authors 236
34. Appendix. Reports and Publications of the Harvard Project on the Soviet Social System 252
35. References 259
36. Index 267