Brezhnev's times are certainly well-remembered by peoply 40+. Many young people could care less and even no less about Brezhnev. It is very geneational. 40+ people are still adjusting to the insecurity lost during the Soviet people; young people find insecurity the norm.
Indirectly, Brezhnev is well-remembered as a time when the Soviet Union was a superpower.
As for the working class. This term does not really exit here now. I have never heard it in use beyond the Communists repeating useless slogans. . Basically Russian society is not class driven. Being from Moscow is the most important distinction. (Moscovites are generally very hostile to non-Moscovites -- but it is the non-Moscovites who do most of the work in the capital).
Other distinctions: Winners vs losers in post Soviet Russia. Maybe 10% of Russian feel themselves to be winners (defined by spending power). Losers simply feel lost or hate the winners. Something like the middle class is slowing becoming an identity (in a few major cities).
Ethnicity and race: Chris has elaborated on this. There certainly cultural dislike of the "blacks" -- because some many people from the "south" come to Moscow to find work and because many "blacks" are very successful in business.
Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote: How is Brezhnev seen in Russia today? Was it the Golden Age of the Soviet working class?
Doug ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
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