The bases of Soviet power in the Third World

This paper examines the process by which the Soviet Union has attempted to establish, maintain and extend its influence in the various regions of the Third World. The author traces the evolution of these relations through the stage of establishing diplomatic relations during the decolonization period and that of the USSR's attempts to harmonize its approach to trade relations with its own strategy of economic development. However, the USSR's natural economic ties with the South were very weak and it therefore chose to favour military assistance over economic aid – an option which it felt would create stronger links of dependency between the recipient countries of the South and the USSR, and thus would reinforce the bases of Soviet power around the world.