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Over the past century alone, Russia has lived through great achievements and deepest misery; mass heroism and mass crime; over-blown ambition and near-hopeless despair - always emerging with its sovereignty and its fiercely independent spirit intact.
In this book, leading Russia scholar Dmitri Trenin accompanies readers on Russia's rollercoaster journey from revolution to post-war devastation, perestroika to Putin's stabilization of post-Communist Russia. Explaining the causes and the meaning of the numerous twists and turns in contemporary Russian history, he offers a vivid insider's view of a country through one of its most trying and often tragic periods. Today, he cautions, Russia stands at a turning point - politically, economically and socially - its situation strikingly reminiscent of the Russian Empire in its final years. For the Russian Federation to avoid a similar demise, it must learn the lessons of its own history.
List of contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction: Russia's Many Russias
Chapter One: Revolutionary Upheaval (1900-1920)
Chapter Two: The Rise of the Soviet State (1921-1938)
Chapter Three: The War and its Aftermath (1939-1952)
Chapter Four: Mature Socialism and its Stagnation (1953-1984)
Chapter Five: Democratic Upheaval (1985-1999)
Chapter Six: From Stability to Uncertainty (2000-2018)
Conclusion: Forever Russia
Further Reading
Notes
Index
About the author
Dmitri Trenin, Ph.D., has been Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center since 2008. A regular commentator on Russian affairs, he is the author of numerous books, including
Should We Fear Russia? (2016) and
What is Russia Up to in the Middle East? (2017).
Summary
Over the past century alone, Russia has lived through great achievements and deepest misery; mass heroism and mass crime; over-blown ambition and near-hopeless despair - always emerging with its sovereignty and its fiercely independent spirit intact.
In this book, leading Russia scholar Dmitri Trenin accompanies readers on Russia's rollercoaster journey from revolution to post-war devastation, perestroika to Putin's stabilization of post-Communist Russia. Explaining the causes and the meaning of the numerous twists and turns in contemporary Russian history, he offers a vivid insider's view of a country through one of its most trying and often tragic periods. Today, he cautions, Russia stands at a turning point - politically, economically and socially - its situation strikingly reminiscent of the Russian Empire in its final years. For the Russian Federation to avoid a similar demise, it must learn the lessons of its own history.
Report
"Trenin's succinct, balanced, and thoughtful book is a valuable guide to modern Russian history as seen from the other side."
Sir Rodric Braithwaite, former British ambassador in Moscow and author of Armageddon & Paranoia: The Nuclear Confrontation
"A brilliant, concise interpretation of 120 years of Russian history, plus an insightful look at the future. Essential reading for all concerned about the dangerous - and unnecessary - revival of Cold War tensions."
Jack Matlock, former US ambassador and author of Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended
"Admirably succinct and thought-provoking"
Edward Lucas, The Times
