This resource is written for for students studying the economic and social development of Russia and the Soviet Union, as well as the nature of Russian government and its impact on the Russian people in this period.

How to use this book

AS Section:

Narrative and Explanation 1 Tsarist Russia, 1856-1914 2 War and revolution, 1914-21 3 Stalin's USSR, 1921-53 4 Reform and stagnation, 1953-85

A2 Section:

Analysis and Interpretation Part 1: Tsarist and revolutionary Russia, 1856-1924 1 How significant were the reforms of Alexander II? 2 To what extent were movements for reform and revolution a threat to the tsarist regimes before 1905? 3 How significant was economic and social change in Russia before 1914? 4 How stable was the tsarist regime in 1914? 5 Why was Russia's performance in the First World War so disastrous? 6 Why were there two revolutions in Russia in 1917? 7 How and why did Lenin succeed in staying in power between 1917 and 1924?

Part 2: Stalinist Russia, 1924-53 1 How did Stalin become leader of the USSR by 1929? 2 How fundamentally was the USSR changed by the Stalinist revolution of 1928-41? 3 Why did a totalitarian regime develop in the USSR by 1941? 4 What impact did the war of 1941-5 have on the USSR? 5 What was the overall impact of Stalin on the development of the USSR?

Part 3: Post-Stalinist Russia, 1953-85 1 How successful a reformer was Khrushchev? 2 What was the extent of destalinisation? 3 Why was the period after Khrushchev a time of stagnation? 4 Why did the USSR eventually break up? 5 To what extent had Russia modernised btween 1856 and 1985?

A2 Assessment Select bibliography Index