NCJ Number
166873
Date Published
1996
Length
281 pages
Annotation
This book provides an in-depth look at the Soviet militia, one of the most vital elements of control within the Soviet state.
Abstract
The book offers insights on the authoritarianism of the Communist system and its legacy for Russia and successor states. The author points out the militia was created immediately after the Russian revolution and played an important social, political, and economic role in directing and controlling a highly centralized socialist state. The militia held an important political position during the Stalinist period. Following Stalin's death, crime control became a more serious concern but the militia remained a key tool of the Communist Party and the most immediate form of control over the lives of Soviet citizens. As the Communist regime began to collapse, the militia was increasingly thrust into the front line of political conflict, a task it was not suited to perform. Despite efforts to reform the militia, the collapse of the Soviet state also led to the collapse of morale within the militia. A comparative framework for analyzing Soviet policing is presented, and the historical development of the militia is traced. Consideration is also paid to the structure and personnel of the militia and to militia operations and tactics. The legacy of the militia for policing in Russia and successor states is discussed. References, notes, tables, and figures