A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End, Second Edition
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loginPeter Kenez’sA History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the Endexaminesnot only political change but also social and cultural developments. The book identi-fies the social tensions and political inconsistencies that spurred radical change in thegovernment of Russia, beginning at the turn of the twentieth century, culminating inthe revolution of1917. Kenez envisions that revolution as a crisis of authority thatposed the question, “Who shall govern Russia?” This question was resolved with thecreation of the Soviet Union.Kenez traces the development of the Soviet Union from the Revolution, throughthe1920s, the years of the New Economic Policies – which he sees as crucial toany interpretation of the history of the Soviet Union – and into the Stalinist order.He shows how post-Stalin Soviet leaders struggled to find ways to rule the countrywithout using Stalin’s methods but also without openly repudiating the past, and tonegotiate a peaceful but antipathetic coexistence with the capitalist West. In this newedition, he also examines the post-Soviet period, tracing Russia’s development up tothe present day.
