Soviet Union Book Review

Book Review

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Book Review

"A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End," by Peter Kenez, does not only examine political changes. It also critically analyzes the cultural and social development of the Soviet Union at the time. The book gives a lot of attention to the social tension and the political inconsistencies that resulted in radical changes in the government of Russia. The book also talks about the events unfolding during the time, which culminated into the revolution of 1917. According to the author, he visualizes the revolution as a situation that led to a crisis and left many people asking the question on the government of Russia. According to the book, the solution to the crises came as a result of the formation of the Soviet Union. The book also traces the developments after the formation of the Soviet Union after the revolution. It goes ahead to talk about the occurrences through the 1920s, the years of the New Economic Policies (1921-1929). According to the book, the period is significant in the interpretation of the history of the Soviet Union. Kenez also talks about Joseph Stalin and his rule of the USSR. In this section, the author shows how Post-Stalinists struggled to find ways to govern the country. Their goals were to rule the country without the Stalinist methods. They also wanted to use approaches that do not point to the past but ensures that there is peaceful coexistence with the capitalist West. Therefore, the book is a critical evaluation of the Russian government through the operation of the Soviet Union. It also gives a significant account of the development through the periods of the New Economic Policies, which was after the revolution of 1917. Kenez, therefore, manages to distil the voluminous literature of the Soviet Union’s 75-year history to a factual conclusion.

Few historians would be qualified to write such an analysis leading to the rise and the fall of the Soviet Union. One such scholar is Professor Peter Kenez. He did his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, and a Ph.D. from Harvard. He is the author of several books in the 1920s and on the Soviet Cinema, which includes among others, “Varieties of Fear.” Currently, he is the Professor of History at the University of California. The author’s work is always inspired by confidence and occasionally spiced with his sense of humor. His experience in the events of the Soviet Union puts him in the forefront to talk about the events. Moreover, the book focuses on the Mediterranean quarterly, making it a good read for the people interested in the rise and the fall of the Soviet Union.

The message in the book covers the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. It states the situation leading to the revolution of 1917. According to many historians, they view the collapse of the Soviet Union as a historical inevitability. They believe that it failed because of the absurd economic foundations and the impossibility to build a multinational state from the ruins of czarist structure. However, according to the Kenez’s book, it suggests an alternative to the previous school of thought by the said historians. The author attributes the failure of the Soviet to the failures of many men, who were at the helm of the activities of the Union. For instance, he talks of many people who made critical errors as they tried to build the Soviet system (Kenez, 2007). On the issues facing the Period of Economic Policies, for example, Kenez feels that a less ambivalent and devoted attitude by the officials could have created a mixed economy.  As a result, they could avoid Stalinism (Kenez, 2007). Therefore, throughout the book, the author offers the alternative to the inevitability theory of most historians. For example, throughout the book, Kenez dwells on the economics. He creates an image of a superpower that could neither provide food for her population because of concentrating on her defense (Kenez, 2007). Another emphasis is to the cultural life of the time. For example, the book discusses the films and the literature of the different periods.

    Kenez published the book in 2007. However, the subject of the book is in the early times of 1917. The theme is set in this period of the revolution, going through the period of New Economic Policy. For example, the books have covered the revolution. It gives a short analysis of why the Soviet Union failed to thrive. At the same time, the author set the subject of the book in the period leading to the First World War. Therefore, the subject of the book is about the importance of a balanced economy to ensure a stable governance. At the time of the revolution, the book alludes that Russia was not able to govern herself. The author also identifies areas of weakness for the Russians. For example, in attributes the failed attempts to solve the problems facing the Soviet Union to lack of committed leadership of the country (Kenez, 2007).

    The book remains relevant to date. It talks about the history of Russia leading to the events of the cold war. For instance, it speaks of the errors leading to the decline in the economy. The role of history is to help the readers to relate the past events, to enable them to appreciate the milestones achieved in creating a stable economy. The book, therefore, is relevant to the readers because it is rich in the history leading to the formation of the Soviet Union. To a greater extent, it also talks about the failure of the officials to help in stabilizing the economy. It is also relevant because it gives the readers the chance to assess the changes suggested by the author in his work. As opposed to other historians who believed that the challenges were inevitable, we learn throughout the book of the theories presented by the author. First, he uses the content of the book to prove that there were solutions to the problems arising from the revolution. At the same time, he goes ahead to loud the formation of the Soviet Union. However, the book outlines the intended role of the organization and the failures too. Therefore, for the students interested in the formation, rise, and collapse of the Soviet Union, this publication remains relevant by reminding them of the journey since the formation of the Union.  Therefore, a history of the Soviet Union could stay relevant because it sets precedence to the current situation.