The Defense Council of the USSR

Abstract

The article contributes to the study of the Soviet decision-making structure in national security affairs, focusing on one important but shadowy institution at the highest level of the political system: the Defense Council of the USSR. An attempt is made to determine the status and responsibilities of the council, as well as its likely membership and operating procedures, through various analytical approaches. First, the evidence available from the official Soviet literature on the Defense Council itself is marshaled. Additional insight is gained from the material on historical antecedents, from infor mation about analogous institutions in East European countries, and from statements by Soviet officials. In analyzing the data, particular attention is paid to the question of the position and influence of the Soviet military. The analysis supports the prop osition that current institutional arrangements in the Soviet Union give the professional military privileged access to the national security decision-making process.