&gt; in 1985, no government of a major state appeared to be as firmly in power, its policies as clearly set in their course, as that of the USSR.<p>the ship was rotting and falling apart from inside. Andropov, before Gorbachev, was trying to treat the situation the way that was natural to him - previously head of KGB - by enforcing the workplace discipline and implementing strict restrictions on alcohol. Talking about the way Russian government can lose the last trust and support of the people! (i say Russian because the rest of USSR had significant other reasons to leave the empire) Current regime in Russia has learned the lesson - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonpost.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;worldviews&#x2F;wp&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;02&#x2F;russias-economy-is-so-bad-it-has-cut-vodka-prices&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonpost.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;worldviews&#x2F;wp&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;02...</a>