THE KOMSOMOL - AFTER 70 YEARS NOTHING HAS CHANGED

THE KOMSOMOL: AFTER 70 YEARS NOTHING HAS CHANGED The Komsomol of the Soviet Union is a curious feature of that nation's political system. While having a unique relationship with the Communist Party, it also exists as a typical product of the regime's totalitarian rule. The Party has prescribed a certain amount of responsibility to the Komsomol, but it is questionable as to how much political influence is vested there. For a critical analysis of its usefulness, …

…should the Komsomol be dissolved as Zamascilov proposes? The Komsomol is very old and it has grown stale. Allen Kassof wrote in 1965 that, "barring fundamental changes on the Soviet scene, the youth organizations and the program they embody will remain enduring features of the system."75 Is Gorbachev willing to make a "fundamental change"? If he does not, will the young generation realize his mistake when they in turn become the leaders of the Sovlet Union?