A Documentary History of Communism in Russia: From Lenin to Gorbachev

by Robert V. Daniels (Editor)

An extensive revision of the valued but unobtainable 1960 edition. Nearly 300 key documents are now readily available in translation.

Genres: History, Politics

428 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Robert Vincent Daniels studied at Harvard, received his AB degree in 1945, and PhD. degree in 1951. He has done research at the Russian Research Center at Harvard, taught Russian history at Indiana University, Bennington College, and the University of Vermont, and traveled in Russia.

Daniels published articles in the leading scholarly journals dealing with the history of Russian and communism. He was well known as the author of "The Conscience of the Revolution" and "The Nature of Communism."

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating collection of documents from all of the leaders of the Soviet Revolution: Trotsky, Lenin, Stalin, Kollontai, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Kirov.... from 1905 onwards. You wouldn't think it, but hugely entertaining. These people could switch policy quickly, and though it's totally bogus, you find yourself believing their rationale.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough and balanced series of primary source documents on the rise of Marxist thought, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the subsequent fall into bureaucracy. Important for any leftist to learn from mistakes past, and inspire the way forward.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing source for primary documents concerning the Communist Era in Russia.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of Russia in the 20th Century was in many respects largely the story of the communist movement founded by Vladimir Lenin. Robert Daniels has assembled an impressive collection of documents that illustrate that history, from the early debates prior to the November Revolution of 1917 to Mikhail Gorbachev's resignation as President of the USSR in December 1991. The documents presented here focus primarily on the evolution of communism in Russia/USSR as an ideology and as a political system. As such, the emphasis is on party organization, major policy initiatives, and above all philosophical debates. Those debates eventually take on an almost theological flavor, as dominant and subordinate voices within the Communist Party debated the finer points of Marxist-Leninism. There are also some of the key works by Marxist and non-Marxist critics of the system. The major phases of Soviet history are presented with numerous documents: the chaotic Revolution and the establishment of the USSR; Stalin's brutal suppression of all dissent (real or imagined); Khrushchev's de-Stalinization and attempted reforms; Brezhnev's re-Stalinization and the stagnation of the 1970s and 1980s; and Gorbachev's policies of perestroika and glasnost. There is little diplomatic history here and the Second World War does not occupy many pages, as Daniel's main concern is the ideological and organizational development of the Soviet system. His commentary suggests a steady deviation from the ideals of Marx, even as Lenin and his successors built a state in Marx's name and envisioned full communism emerging sometime in the near future. A second theme is the growing centralization and bureaucratization of the Soviet system which ultimately undermined its economic development. Finally, he points to the system's vulnerability to personal dictatorship, most extremely shown in the Stalinist era, but a tendency that still existed when the leadership was more collective. The historical notes that Daniels provides are helpful, but a good familiarity with Soviet and 20th Century world history is necessary to fully appreciate this book's contents.

[sologdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

collection of constitutional & legal documents from various points in soviet history. not bad, for a summation & distillation.