Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, presided over a period of economic stagnation and social decline. The Soviet economy, heavily centralized and focused on heavy industry, began to show signs of inefficiency and technological backwardness, leading to a decline in economic growth. The agricultural sector also faced challenges, with a series of poor harvests contributing to food shortages. Socially, the Brezhnev era was marked by growing cynicism and apathy, as the population became increasingly disillusioned with the government's inability to address the country's economic and social problems. The Soviet Union's international standing also declined during this period, as it faced increasing competition from the United States and its allies during the Cold War.
