Neil Malcolm

In the light of perestroika this paper reviews Soviet specialist writing and leadership statements, and looks in particular at how Soviet authors understand the interplay of cooperation and conflict inside the EC and the Western world.

After the turmoil following the collapse of Soviet power, post-Communist Russia has emerged as an assertively independent force in international affairs. Meanwhile, an intense debate has been underway in Moscow about Russia's national interests and foreign policy priorities. Domestic political conflicts and the close ties with former Soviet partner states have made internal factors particularly particularly important in shaping Russian foreign policy. Internal Factors in Russian Foreign Policy is the first systematic analysis of the domestic political forces which condition the international behaviour of the new Russian state. Four leading specialists examine in turn the areas of foreign policy thinking and debate, how policy is made, the public politics of foreign policy and the role of the military. They explore the changing domestic alignments associated with recent shifts in Russian foreign policy, focusing on the roles played by institutions such as the Security Council and the legislature, by military groupings and by emerging economic interests. The authors throw new light on the domestic foundations of Moscow's more assertive and sef-reliant stance.

In the light of perestroika this paper reviews Soviet specialist writing and leadership statements, and looks in particular at how Soviet authors understand the interplay of cooperation and conflict inside the EC and the Western world.

This book is the only comprehensive review of Soviet specialist writing on American politics covering the period from the establishment of Arbatov's USA Institute to the early 1980s.