The Cambridge History of Communism

Explores the 'construction of Socialism' in the Soviet Union and the development of the Communist movement on a global scale.

Silvio Pons (Edited by), Stephen A. Smith (Edited by)

9781107467361, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 23 April 2020

676 pages
22.8 x 15.3 x 3.3 cm, 1.16 kg

'For those who have come to expect much of the Cambridge Histories, if the other two volumes in this three part series are anything like the volume under review, they will not be disappointed … it is comprehensive, detailed and easy to read and understand, both for the non-academic, non-professional readership, as well as for those who earn a living from examining and analyzing past, present and future.' Steven J. Main, Journal Of European Asia Studies

The first volume of The Cambridge History of Communism deals with the tumultuous events from 1917 to the Second World War, such as the Russian Revolution and Civil War, the revolutionary turmoil in post-World War I Europe, and the Spanish Civil War. Leading experts analyse the ideological roots of communism, historical personalities such as Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky and the development of the Communist movement on a world scale against this backdrop of conflict that defined the period. It addresses the making of Soviet institutions, economy, and society while also looking at mass violence and relations between the state, workers, and peasants. It introduces crucial communist experiences in Germany, China, and Central Asia. At the same time, it also explores international and transnational communist practices concerning key issues such as gender, subjectivity, generations, intellectuals, nationalism, and the cult of personality.

General introduction Silvio Pons
Volume introduction Silvio Pons and Stephen A. Smith
Part I. Origins: 1. Marxism and socialist revolution Geoff Eley
2. The Russian Revolution and Civil War Rex Wade
3. Revolution and counter revolution in Europe 1917–1923 John Paul Newman
4. Lenin as historical personality Robert Service
5. Bolshevik roots of international communism Lars Lih
6. Stalin as a historical personality James Harris
7. Trotsky and Trotskyism Bertrand Patenaude
8. Communism and the crisis of the colonial system Sobhanlal Datta Gupta
9. The Comintern as a world network Serge Wolikow
10. The popular fronts and the civil war in Spain Tim Rees
Part II. Patterns and Extensions: 11. Communism, violence and terror Hiroaki Kuromiya
12. The Soviet government 1917–1941 E. A. Rees
13. Migration and social transformations in Soviet society 1917–1941 Lewis Siegelbaum
14. Foundations of the Soviet command economy 1917–1941 Mark Harrison
15. The Soviet state and workers Donal Filtzer
16. The Soviet state and peasants Nicholas Werth
17. Bolshevik feminism and gender agendas of communism Anna Krylova
18. Communism, nations and nationalism Andrea Graziosi
19. Communism, youth and generations Matthias Neumann
20. Communism as existential choice Brigitte Studer
21. Communism and intellectuals Michael David-Fox
22. Cults of the individual Kevin Morgan
23. German communism Eric Weitz
24. The Chinese Communist Party movement 1919–1949 Alexander Pantsov
25. Communism on the frontier: the Sovietization of Central Asia and Mongolia Adeeb Khalid
Index.

Subject Areas: Russian Revolution [HBTV4], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], European history [HBJD], History [HB]