This work investigates the complex economic relationship between the Soviet Union, its Eastern European satellites, and the emerging demands for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) during the late Cold War era. Christopher Coker, writing under the auspices of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, analyzes how Soviet geopolitical strategy intersected with the economic grievances of developing nations. The text provides a framework for understanding the limitations of the Soviet model in addressing global economic inequality and the resulting friction within the Eastern Bloc.

Experts identify this volume as a specialized contribution to Cold War-era international relations literature. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and its utility as a primary source for understanding the strategic priorities of the Washington-based policy community during the late 1970s.