A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End [Paperback]

Peter Kenez (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521311985 | ISBN-13: 978-0521311984 | Publication Date: March 13, 1999

Peter Kenez's History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End examines not only political change, but also social and cultural developments. The book identifies the social tensions and political inconsistencies that spurred radical change in the government of Russia, beginning at the turn of the century and culminating in the revolution of 1917. Kenez envisions that revolution as a crisis of authority that posed the question, "Who shall govern Russia?" This question was resolved with the creation of the Soviet Union. Kenez traces the development of the Soviet Union from the Revolution, through the 1920s, the years of the New Economic Policies--which he sees as crucial to any 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 country without using Stalin's methods but also without openly repudiating the past, and to negotiate a peaceful but antipathetic coexistence with the capitalist West.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Kenez (history, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz) has distilled the voluminous literature on the Soviet Union's 75-year history to a succinct and factual summary. Throughout, Kenez emphasizes economics, creating an image of a hollow superpower that could neither feed its population nor produce a reasonable supply of consumer goods owing to its concentration on the defense industry. A secondary emphasis is on the cultural life of the era, discussing the films and literature of different periods. There is little on the 1917 revolution and only a short analysis of why the Soviet Union ultimately failed to thrive. Sources in the bibliography are primarily in English. Still, this is a valuable reading assignment for undergraduate survey courses that academic libraries should consider.AMarcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This is a compact and easily digested work that certainly provides food for thought...." Jay Freeman, Booklist

"Kenez...has distilled the voluminous literature on the Soviet Union's 75-year history to a succinct and factual summary." Marcia L. Sprules, Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (March 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521311985
• ISBN-13: 978-0521311984
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,519,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, short history, February 7, 2006

By 

Steve Cartwright (Rock Island, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End (Paperback)

This compact and well-written book from Soviet historian Peter Kenez is an excellent short history of the Soviet Union.

Perhaps the most welcome aspect of Kenez's book is his willingess to acknowledge the centrality of ideological considerations in shaping both the views and policies of the USSR's Marxist leaders. While this is not surprising given the author's previous interest in the "propaganda state," it is a needed corrective to the excessive emphasis on "social factors" that tend to dominate other histories of the USSR.

Readers would have benefited from a more detailed bibliography or, better, a list of recommended readings from the author.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SUMMARY HISTORY OF THE FAILINGS OF THE SOVIET UNION, June 6, 2000

By 

Gary Westhoff (College Point, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End (Paperback)

Peter Kenez outlines all of Soviet history succintly yet completely. He argues that the Soviet "golden age" during the NEP (New Economic Policy) was doomed to failure because the Bolshevik state, by definition, could only function as a one-party, authoritarian power.

Indeed, Kenez argues that the Soviet Union was always authoritarian, with the exception of Stalin's reign, when it was a totalitarian state. Stalin ruled with power that was so absolute that the Communist Party was deemed insignificant, no other figured gained lasting influence in government, and all were potentially subject to his terror.

The Soviet Union met its demise and fall because the the regime could not reform itself and still remain in existence. The flawed, top-down structure of the economy, particularly the constant failures of collectivized farms, assured that the Soviet Union could never see economic prosperity comparable to the West.

Kenez's ideally-sized history offers an intriguing, and critical, history of the Soviet Union. It is anti-Soviet, but still objective: for example, Kenez argues that the Cold War Soviet Union had neither the desire, nor the capacity, to promote worldwide revolution. The one glaring flaw of this book is its sparse treatment of Cold War diplomacy, as it argues that the Soviet crises were almost entirely from within.

The book is an effortless read. Its most gripping effect is that you likely walk away convinced that Josef Satlin was doubtlessly one of most evil men in recorded history.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent history of communism in the soviet union, October 24, 1999

By 

Stephen M. Picca MD (Massapequa, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End (Paperback)

This is a brief but complete history of Communism in the Soviet Union from the days of the October Revolution to its recent collapse. It's main focus is on politics and economics but other topics (including even cinema) are discussed. A little dry at times but always readable. Does not require any real background in history to enjoy. Higly recommended for anyone seaking an overview of this fascinating subject.