Gorbachev at the Helm(1987) analyses the policy decisions taken at the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in February-March 1986, declared at the time by the Soviet government as a major turning point in Soviet history. It considers the importance of the changes for a number of policy areas, and from a variety of perspectives. The authors examine the degree to which the policy initiatives and associated personnel changes brought about by Gorbachev in certain key areas - domestic politics, general economic policy and administration, agriculture, ideology and foreign policy - constitute substantial innovations.