The purpose of this essay is to explore Soviet conceptions of security. More particularly, we are concerned wtih determining how successive Soviet leaderships have sought to define the security requirements of the Soviet Union, how they have gone about satisfying these requirements and how successful they have been. At the conclusion of the essay we will also have something to say on the role of disarmament and arms control in the Soviet perspective on security. The essay is organized roughly around the leadership periods of Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev.

COVER TITLE. Adelphi Paper No. 150. PDF is available via the Library's subscription to Infomaworld: www.informaworld.com

Introduction--I. The Revolutionary Perspective--II. Consolidation and New Danger--III. Teh Uncertain Super-Power: Khrushchev--IV. The Accumulation of Power: Brezhnev--V. The Problem of Military Power--IV. The Role of Arms Control in Soviet Security--Conclusions.