What does the term "Brezhnev Doctrine" refer to?

The term "Brezhnev Doctrine" refers specifically to a policy established by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in the late 1960s, which asserted that the Soviet Union had the right to intervene in countries of the Eastern Bloc if socialism was threatened. This doctrine emerged as a response to the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia in 1968, which was a period of political liberalization. Brezhnev's declaration stressed that the Soviet Union would support socialist governments and ensure the security of communist regimes, suggesting that any movement towards liberal reform could be seen as a threat, warranting intervention.

This policy was significant as it justified Soviet military interventions in other communist nations, reinforcing the idea that the stability of communist rule was paramount to the Soviet Union’s interests. By promoting specific conditions under which the USSR would take action, the Brezhnev Doctrine became a cornerstone of Soviet foreign policy during the Cold War, influencing not only Soviet actions but also the dynamics within the Eastern Bloc countries.

Options discussing economic independence, peaceful coexistence, or disarmament negotiations do not accurately capture the essence of the Brezhnev Doctrine and its focus on interventionist policy to uphold communist stability.