A systematic overview of life in the Soviet Union, this book includes chapters on the territorial divisions and ethnic composition of the country; the governmental and party system; Russian and minority cultures; the family; education; health care; sports; military service; classes and social privilege; poverty; prices and wages; the economic system, work, and the standard of living. It concludes with a discussion of the impact of Gorbachev's administration on Soviet society and the outlook for the future.