Book Review: Memoirs

• Author: Lowell G. Noonan
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/106591297903200233
• Published date: 01 June 1979
• Date: 01 June 1979
• Subject Matter: Book Review

24.1.

Western Political Quarterly

social development of any society. Erickson himself at first seems to follow Wiarda

in considering Iberian culture and Catholicism critid, but ends up

by

acknowledg-

ing that corporatist tendencies can

be

found in countries such as Nonvay, Britain,

and West Germany. The problem is not really resolved, but simply blurred, by then

attempting to distinguish between different types of corporatism. This question

apart, the present writer has no hestitation in recommending Erickson’s book as

a

study of substantial interest and value.

University

of

hrero

Mexico

MARTIN

C.

NEEDLER

The

Supreme Soviet: Politics

and

the Legislative Process

in

the

Soviet

Political

Systenz.

By

PETER

VANNENAN.

(Durham: Duke University Press,

1977.

Pp.

sii,

256.

$14.75.)

As

a

part of the Comparative Legislative Studies Series, and

as

the only book-

length treatment of the subject, Vanneman’s work commands attention.

The book begins with the historical evolution of assemblies in tsarist and

Bolshevik periods, highlighting the ambiguous legacy

of

“residual legitimacy resid-

ing in the people” in times

of

disinte,grating central authority. Considerable atten-

tion is given to the fundamental question of sovereignty and to the theoretical rela-

tionship between state power and political

power.

At least under the Stalin Consti-

tution, Vanneman points out, the real distinction was moot.

of

the Supreme Soviet, its Presidium, and its commissions. The 1967 espnsion of

the commission system and its ability to supervise the government is evaluated

primarily in terms

of

potential, rather than accomplished practice. Vanneman also

reviews the familiar debate over whether the Presidium has independent authority

or

only authority deleptcd from the Supreme Soviet.

An excellent chart depicts the relationships among various forms of legal acts

and their issuing agencies. Several good tables display relevant attributes of Sup-

reme Soviet deputies and illustrate the extent of membership overlap among organs

of the Supreme Soviet, the government, and the Party.

Most interesting are the evaluative dimensions

of

Vanneman’s study. Noting

the broadly representative composition

of

the Supreme Soviet, the author infers

concern for

a

more democratic image,” because of the increasing proportion of

“genuine proletarians” among the deputies. On the other hand, the 1967 reform

has

been followed by a growing participation

of

Central Committee members in

Supreme Soviet affairs:

as

deputies, as heads of commissions (officials

of

the Cen-

tral Apparatus)

,

and as members of subcommissions (officials of the government

and public organizations). Vanneman interprets this trend as evidence of the

Party’s “quest to maintain its legitimacy” and to “legalize its control of other pro-

Party’s “quest to maintain its legitimacy” and to “legalize its control

of

other organs

of the polity.”

Such conclusions ring shallow. The author‘s almost exclusive reliance upon

sources from

1968

and earlier precludes his developing the perspective necessary

for evaluation. His implicit view

of

the CPSU

as

an undifferentiated monolith

prevents serious consideration of the Supreme Soviet as an alternative policy arena

in factional competition. The fern perfunctory references to other legislative

S~S-

tems do not provide

a

useful comparative framework, especially with respect to the

Party-legislative relationship. In other words, Vanneman’s

work

is an important

prerequisite to meaningful analysis

J

but it is no substitute.

In.

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cr

C.

BRADLEY

SCHARF

University

of

Arizona

-

Alenzoirs.

By

JEAN

hIONNET.

Introduction by George

\V.

Ball. Translated from

the French by Richard Mayne. (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and

Company,

1978.

Pp.

541.

$12.95.)

This

journal extends chronologically from Monnet’s childhood and early man-

hood in the Charentc (he was born in Cognac in

1888)

to his retirement in

1975,