<DIV>Today, I would say that Brezhnev as a person is not thought much about. Actually, the aging Gen Sec. with a full-metal jacket is a parady to this day. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Indirectly, Brezhnev is well-remembered as a time when the Soviet Union was a superpower. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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.</DIV> <DIV>. </DIV> <DIV>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). </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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). </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <BR><BR><B><I>Doug Henwood <dhenwood@panix.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">How is Brezhnev seen in Russia today? Was it the Golden Age of the <BR>Soviet working class?<BR><BR>Doug<BR>___________________________________<BR>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk</BLOCKQUOTE><p> <hr size=1><font face=arial size=-1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>Yahoo! Movies - <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/showtimes/movie?mid=1808405861">Buy advance tickets for 'Shrek 2' </a>