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How Did Khrushchev Survive The Soviet Union

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Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev were two monumental post-Stalin, pre-Gorbachev leaders of the Soviet Union during periods of reform. The two leaders both sought to adjust the economic and domestic policies of the Soviet Union. They shared a common goal: to lead without the constant mass fear and terror imposed by Stalin’s brutal regime. However, they also wanted to achieve such a goal without directly undermining the foundation and the integrity of the Soviet Union or the Communist Party. This concept can be labeled as de-Stalinization without de-Sovietization. However, Khrushchev and Brezhnev inherited a rigid Soviet system that was intertwined with Stalin’s personal legacy and the inner circle officials that survived the …show more content…
Khrushchev and Brezhnev actively sought for changes in social liberalization, economic reform, and adjustments in military strategies. While both men shared common goals for reforms of the Soviet Union, the differences in the magnitude and their methods were significantly different. Khrushchev was seen as a more radical reformer who was more critical of Joseph Stalin, publicly and secretively. Brezhnev’s approach to Stalin’s legacy was mostly an effort to retain the status quo. Their views on the degree of centralization of the Republics also diverged: Khrushchev leaning towards decentralization while Brezhnev followed antiquated policies of Stalin. The distinction between the degree of the two men’s respective success is highly controversial. That said, the policies and legacy of Khrushchev ultimately proved to have more significant impact on the development of the Soviet Union than the imprint left by Brezhnev’s political maneuvers. One of the only major limitations of Khrushchev’s effectiveness is the limits imposed by the rigidity of the Soviet Union

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