Discussion covers; detente; dissent and the Helsinki factor - the loyal opposition; heretical communists; the disloyal opposition; post Prague; disillusionment in Eastern Europe and the advocates of radical change; pressures from the outside; Western leverage - the infectious disease called euro-communism - change, is it possible or is it dangerous? Vladimir Bukovsky, dissident in exile. Jacek Kuron, Leader, Polish Worker's Defence Committee, Warsaw George Urban, Specialist, Hungarian Affairs, Professor of Politics, Sussex University Yvonne Hartel, 1968 Prague Student Leader Peter Redaway, Soviet Specialist, London School of Economics Joris Megdedif (phonetic spelling) soviet scientist in exile Peter Wiles, Professor of Economics of the Soviet Union, London School of Economics Leopold Labedz Editor, Journal of Eastern European Affairs Philip Windsor, International Affairs Specialist, London School of Economics Helena Krejcova, Czech Writer Name withheld, Czech journalist. Name withheld, Czech Social Scientist

The Russian revolution was really a disaster for communism. This astonishing assessment of the long-term sets off the discussion in the first programme of a series which examines emergent crises in Eastern bloc countries. The rising tide of criticism and dissent within the Soviet bloc, coupled with the ferment of Euro-Communism revisionism in Western Europe poses yet another threat to Soviet leadership. Produced for the Canadian and American Broadcasting Corporations, Gwynne Dyer looks at what's happening on Russia's front door, Eastern Europe. Over five episodes Dyer speaks with experts on the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc dissidents.