1989 Reports

Perestroika and the Debate Over Territorial Economic Decentralization

Bahry, Donna

Last fall’s debate over now-implemented amendments to the Soviet constitution highlighted the increasingly open conflicts between Moscow and its constituent republics. At a time when perestroika had promised more power to republics and localities, the amendments to restructure national government and elections were interpreted as a return to greater central controls. Gorbachev’s proposals to restore the two-tier legislature of Lenin’s time and to create multi-candidate elections implied a downgrading of the rights of republics and minority nationalities. The new Congress of Peoples Deputies and Supreme Soviet might afford a greater voice to public organizations and groups, but might also dilute regional and ethnic representation at the all-union level. Election reform gave voters choices among candidates and perhaps a degree of control over public officials, but could also threaten the hold of titular nationalities on deputy selection in the republics.