Political controls in the Red Army; professional autonomy versus political integration.

Expert InsightsPublished 1966

A description of the network of Party organs, committees, cells, denunciation sessions, propaganda, and other means by which the Communist Party of the Soviet Union controls its armed forces. Unlike most military establishments, the Red Army operates under a system of overlapping, rivalrous authority sources. Commanders are subject to the criticism and direction of civilian Party functionaries, political "assistants," and subordinates of all ranks. Officers and soldiers are required to study Marxist-Leninist doctrines, and encouraged to participate in Party-sponsored activities. Officers are kept guessing about their status, which is subject to political assessment. The consequent problems of morale and efficiency are recognized by Party leaders, who accept them as the price of detailed control over the military. 31 pp.

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Political controls in the Red Army; professional autonomy versus political integration. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1966. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P3402.html.
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