The Soviet Colossus: History and Aftermath

By Michael Kort

Book Overview

The Soviet Colossus revisits the turning points in Russia's modern history, from the fall of the tsarist regime to the establishment of the Bolshevik dictatorship and Stalinist totalitarianism; the reforms and counter-reforms of Khrushchev and Brezhnev to the reform program of Mikhail Gorbachev and the resultant collapse of the Soviet Union; and from the effort to build a democratic and free-market Russia under Boris Yeltsin to the political authoritarianism and the establishment of a state capitalist economy under Vladimir Putin.

This eighth edition has been revised and updated to cover the latest developments from the Putin administration. These revisions include added emphasis on the increasing authoritarian nature of Russia's political system, the serious challenges posed by the country's unsolved economic and social problems, and the growing tensions between Russia on the one hand and the United States and the European Union on the other as a result of Moscow's aggression against Ukraine. Kort combines this updated account with a broad exploration of Russia's political history, examining how the Soviet past has been woven into the fabric of the modern Russian state, a state which plays such a major, assertive role in global affairs, but which simultaneously remains an allusive, secretive entity.

With Russia's increasing influence on the global stage and the controversies that often accompany this, The Soviet Colossus is an invaluable resource for students of history, politics, and international relations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815399219
• ISBN13: 9780815399216
• Release Date: May 2019
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 522 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

5 stars for this baby

Bravo Mr. Kort! This was a delightful book to read. This book is accessible to everyone without it having been watered down. The sentences are clear and elegant; I was able to read effortlessly throughout the whole text. I did not detect any biases from the author and he seemed fair and accurate all the way through. Factually, the book is in sync with other books with related or similar subjects that I have happened to read. I bought a copy of the 5th edition (2001) and I wonder if it is still being updated. The story is riveting. Michael Kort rendered a masterpiece with this book.

user-friendly guide to the Soviet Union

i bought this book for a class (minored in Russian History), and this book is more than a standard history text book. point-by-point the motivation for the establishment of the Soviet Union is outlined with complete objectivity and very little 20-20 hindsight criticism. Kort explores every facet of the transition from complete autocracy to socialist society with great detail throughout every era from Stalin's failed 5-year plans to Gorbachev's perestroika which actually ended the existance of the USSR. even for the casual history buff this is a great guide and insightful read.

Not just a textbook

Like probably everyone who has read this, I bought it for a class. However, this book is unlike every other textbook I've read, in that it's actually *fun* to read. I'd probably have read it on my own had I known about it before.

Very Informative

I had to read this for a class that was taught by Kort himself. The book covers a lot of Russian history from the last days of the czars to Yeltsin. If you ever want to know some general history about Russia, then read this book.