The political history of the second half of the 20th century was largely determined by the standoff between Socialism, as embodied in the Soviet Union, and Capitalism, as embodied in the West. The purpose of this module is to examine the events in Soviet history which lead to collapse of Socialism and defeat in the Cold War. This entails examining the state system, as it was established by Stalin, and how this system was modified by his successors. We will analyse how the Soviet state moulded the mentality of its people and the effects of this mentality on present day Russia. The module will look at the problems that modern Russia is facing and establish the historic roots of these problems.
After an introductory lecture on the formation of the USSR, the module will look at the appearance of Stalinism as a system embracing the political, economic, social and cultural facets of the Soviet state, and the attempts of Khrushchev, Brezhnev and Gorbachev to adapt this system to changing conditions. We will also examine the role the Soviet Union played in the world and its impact on people's self-identification, especially after the collapse of the USSR. The module will also analyse recent Russian history and how Russia is coping with the problems that she has inherited.
At the end of the module students should have an understanding of the connections between Russia's imperial and Soviet past and her present-day problems. They should be aware of the reasons that brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the processes that are shaping Russia's present.
After an introductory lecture on the formation of the USSR, the module will look at the appearance of Stalinism as a system embracing the political, economic, social and cultural facets of the Soviet state, and the attempts of Khrushchev, Brezhnev and Gorbachev to adapt this system to changing conditions. We will also examine the role the Soviet Union played in the world and its impact on people's self-identification, especially after the collapse of the USSR. The module will also analyse recent Russian history and how Russia is coping with the problems that she has inherited.
At the end of the module students should have an understanding of the connections between Russia's imperial and Soviet past and her present-day problems. They should be aware of the reasons that brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the processes that are shaping Russia's present.