Book Review

A Social Portrait of the Soviet Intelligentsia: A Review

Zilberman, David B.

1978

Overview

A review of the analysis of Soviet intelligentsia by L. G. Churchward (The Soviet Intelligentsia: An Essay on the Social Structure and Roles of Soviet Intellectuals During the 1960s, London & Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1973). Churchward presents \"a structural analysis of the Soviet intelligentsia's origins, current functions, & likely future roles\" with \"objectivity, conciseness, & a balanced choice of data & documentation.\" But, due to his \"theoretical position\" or the official Soviet language & structural-functional language which he incorporates into his work, Churchward has made errors in his analysis. Another problem with the work is the omission of the relationship of the Soviet intelligentsia to other aspects of Soviet society. They are likened to an insecure weather forecaster who uses today's weather as tomorrow's forecast just to be safe. The Soviet intelligentsia's protests of the 1960s were not a \"silent revolution,\" but the final attempts of the intelligentsia to salvage its position in Soviet society. L. Milner.

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Subject: Intellectual/Intellectuals/ Intellectualism (see also Intelligentsia) / Intelligentsia (see also Intellectual) / Social structure/Social structures / Soviet/Soviets (see also USSR) / Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/USSR (see also Russia, Soviet)