This book explores the long-term reasons for the demise of Imperial Russia, examining the failure of the autocratic state to strengthen its own political position while economic change transformed Russian society. It seeks to explain its debilitating internal tensions and to link these to the pressures exerted by Russia's repeated failure in war and by the empire's continuing expansion. Lastly, it analyzes what led to Russia being governed, only eight months after the collapse of Tsarism, by the Bolsheviks' revolutionary regime.

This selection of documents - for the most part never before translated into English - traces the process of modernization which took place in Russia between 1856 and 1881. Political, social and economic developments are dealt with in thematic sections and the documents also show the growth of the revolutionary movement and conservative attempts to quell it. The great flowering of Russian literature and art during the quarter-century is also reflected. The documents are accompanied by individual commentaries and an extensive guide to further reading, whilst the volume is prefaced by a...

This selection of documents - for the most part never before translated into English - traces the process of modernization which took place in Russia between 1856 and 1881. Political, social and economic developments are dealt with in thematic sections and the documents also show the growth of the revolutionary movement and conservative attempts to quell it. The great flowering of Russian literature and art during the quarter-century is also reflected. The documents are accompanied by individual commentaries and an extensive guide to further reading, whilst the volume is prefaced by a...

This is a volume of essays exploring important themes in the economic and social history of Russia and the Soviet Union during the critical period between 1860 and 1930. It covers developments in agriculture, industry, trade, economic theory, defence policy and the social impact of revolution. The essays are written by well-established specialists in Russian and Soviet economic and social history and are intended as a tribute to the work of the highly-esteemed economic historian Olga Crisp.