That's true the trends go back further, but I think it was still possible to turn things around in the late 80s if more competent people were in charge. In my opinion, the most important aspect of USSR that needs to be analyzed going forward is how to improve the political system in order to keep opportunists and the incompetent out of positions of power. It's a general unsolved problem pretty much all human societies have that quality of leadership declines when the times are good.