A significant work on the collapse of the Soviet Union—examining how Gorbachev's misleading reforms led to its fall.
In 1945, the Soviet Union controls half of Europe and is a founding member of the UN. However, by 1991, it collapses amidst an economic crisis and is torn apart by nationalist secession. Its collapse was one of the most significant developments of the 20th century.
Vladislav Zubok offers a major reinterpretation of the last years of the Soviet Union, countering the view that the disintegration of the Soviet order was inevitable. Instead, he reveals how Gorbachev's reforms, intended to modernize and democratize the Soviet Union, stripped the government of resources and empowered secession.
This analysis sheds light on Russian democratic popular politics, the Baltic struggle for independence, the crisis of Soviet economics—and the fragility of authoritarian state power.
Pages: 576, Year of Publication: 1013, Dimensions: 12.7x12.7cm
