[lbo-talk] Reagan, Arms Race and Collapse of Soviet Union

[Thomas Seay]

Many on the American Right claim that it was Reagan's
militaristic pressure, increased military spending
(discussion of Star Wars etc), etc. that caused the
collapse of the Soviet Union.  The thinking goes that
the Soviet Union had to spend more on military
spending, couldnt afford it and this exacerbated
contradictions in the Soviet Union, leading to its
demise.

Now if I am not wrong the Soviet Union was actually
spending relatively less on the military around that
time and that Gorbachev had decided, upon the advice
of top scientists, that the SU should not
even compete with Star Wars.

Can anyone point me to reasonably accurate numbers
regarding Soviet military spending in that period?
What has been the response of the Right when
confronted with this matter?

-Thomas

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