The Soviet Union (1989) examines the state of the Soviet Union at the end of the 1980s. It claimed to offer a new social, economic and political order and this book looks at the extent of its success. It surveys the major components of Soviet society and examines the principal issues and debates that surround its assessment.

1. The Geographical Reality Denis J.B. Shaw 2. The October Revolution Maureen Perrie 3. Industrialisation and After R.W. Davies 4. The Communist Party, Yesterday and Today M. Lewin 5. Soviet Politics: Perspectives and Prospects Ronald Amann 6. Social Classes and Equality David Lane 7. The Economic System Philip Hanson 8. Science and Technology Julian Cooper 9. Farms and Farmers R.E.F. Smith 10. The Education of the Soviet Citizen John Dunstan 11. Literature and the Arts G.S. Smith 12. Foreign Policy Jonathan Haslam 13. The Soviet Future in a Nuclear Age David Holloway 14. The Soviet Union in Perspective R.W. Davies