Abstract
Historically, the position of General Secretary has been the most important in the Soviet political structure and the vehicle through which individuals have been able to establish their personal primacy. During the post-Khrushchev period attempts were made to place clear limitations upon that position in order to prevent the recurrence of an activist, powerful General Secretary. The reforms were aimed at (a) producing greater institutional definition of the position of General Secretary and (b) creating a higher level of institutional structuring within the immediate political context in which the post was located. However the attempts at institutional definition have proved to be less restrictive than they had at first appeared, while the higher level of institutional structuring rests upon conventions of political behaviour. Such conventions can change when the political personnel changes, and such a personnel change is now underway. A favourable environment, in which pressures from within the system for a more activist style of leadership enabling the General Secretary to escape from the constraints that have developed around his office, might result.
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