To get a broad picture of the changes of minds and attitudes during the last decades of the Soviet Union contemporary western research on professional and other indirect groups is offering some material. Thesis is, that although the political system did not allow open discussions using hard facts considerable differences of opinions are documented in the Soviet media. The indirect groups though communicating in these media did not have a chance for a transition to preparliamentary organisations within the Soviet system (raising by comparison the question, whether such transitions will work in other Communist countries).