[driftking]

Hello,
I'm a newbie poster here.
I just joined and have a question but not sure if this posting should be here or not.

Anyways, the thing I wanted to know was, what is the most distinguishable difference between Stalin and Brezhnev's use of coercion in order to control the Russian population?

Any facts are fine. I'm taking a history class and this really bothered me.
So, I would really appreciate it of any kind of comment
Thank you.

[jaakko]

I'd say the main difference between Stalin's and Brezhnev's times concerning the use of force was the direction of its use, ie. against whom it was used.

[Krasniy Yastreb]

The most obvious fact would be that Brezhnev concetrated more on revising history books to exclude his victims rather than death/gulag/saltmine/(insert stereotypical soviet puinishment here).

He also did not sign death warrants himself. He left that to the party. In fact, everything was left to the party. Brezhnev was the party and the party was Brezhnev.

If I said any more it'd be an incoherent ramble so now would be a good time to stop...

[driftking]

thanx a lot for everyone who posted replies. It helped me a lot. Now I can start my research essay. hehe. thanx!!

Oh, and by the way, are there any books that anyone would recommend to learn more about this?

[mim3]

Stalin used force against enemies--especially in the party--that prevented the Soviet Union from developing. As a result, life expectancy of the population doubled.

Brezhnev favored "peaceful" methods within the party and the corrupt felt free reign. As a result, life expectancy of the population actually declined.

Stalin's use of force against the population targeted backwardness and not allowing resistance to advance in anything from education to industrial organization. It benefitted the public. Brezhnev's did not.

http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/faq/stalin.html

[Kov]

I am a bit shocked... if this post was up about half a year ago, it would have been openly attacked by Stalinists. However, this time, there is nothing. Either the world is getting cleaner, world war 3 started, or they are all in the soviet empire now.

We may never know...