Abstract

This paper seeks to substantiate a prediction that runs counter to die cherished hopes, illusions or, sometimes, even delusions of the Western peace movement. Stated boldly our prediction runs as follows: of all the possible autonomous social movements, the anti-nuclear movement is the one least likely to become of any consequence and least likely to exert an impact on the future course of Soviet societies.

In a somewhat more cautious formulation, we can state that, should anti-nuclear movements emerge in Soviet societies on a wide scale, they will either immediately become bearers of other, broader and more complex, social issues, or will degenerate into state sponsored peace carnivals.