Non-fiction

A Brief Introduction to the Soviet Union

Kåre Johan Mjør

This book is a timely and updated account of the history of the Soviet Union, from the revolutions of 1917 and the Union Treaty of 1922, to its dissolution in 1991. The Soviet Union was a pivotal chapter in European and global twentieth-century history, and the world is still shaped by the legacy of the union, thirty years after it vanished. The Soviet Union was an attempt to create a state for the liberated working class and for liberated nations. However, the Soviet peoples were not free, and the Soviet Union ultimately became a continuation of the pre-1917 Russian Empire. Within the union of Soviet republics, there were numerous tensions between the central power in Moscow and the various regions, and Soviet nation-building and national oppression are given a central place in the book. The various chapters also examine Marxist-Leninist ideology and the one-party state, showing how the Soviet Union emerged as a massive and brutal modernization project characterized by a planned economy, five-year plans, prison camps, purges, and deportations – but also by a rich literary output and a cultural scene that influenced the entire world. “(…) the book gives a comprehensive recapitulation of the Soviet history, combining scholarly authority with an accessible writing style. [...] Completed with some additional materials, the book can serve as an excellent introductory survey for undergraduate students. It provides a balanced view of Soviet history and culture for anyone interested in this subject.”Petia Mankova, Scando-Slavica “Mjør maintains an overarching perspective that ties the historical development together.”Jan Oscar Bodøgaard, Utdanning 4/2024“In summary, Mjør's book is well worth reading. Although it is labeled as a short introduction, and despite the author—due to space constraints—having to settle for characterizing certain central problem areas simply as 'complex', there is much to gain for interested readers in the 2020s. He notes at the outset that the aim of the book is not to discuss the contemporary impacts of the Soviet legacy, but even with that premise, the payoff for the reader is substantial.”Klas-Göran Karlsson, Nordisk Østforum“Mjør's book on the Soviet Union should be read, savored, and used as a neat little encyclopedia. It is quite an achievement to distill so much essential material into 231 pages.”Jørn-Kr. Jørgensen, Bokstaver.no