This book aims to link the Communist experience to the theoretical debates on modernity. The most influential theories of modernity have taken surprisingly little interest in the problematic of Soviet-type societies, and recent events have highlighted the lack of conceptual framework for the interpretation of their history.

This outstanding book deals with the Soviet model as a distinctive pattern of modernity. Its historical background and its institutional structure are thoroughly examined as are its implications for understanding Modernity. The book challenges many of the simple assumptions and judgements made about the Soviet road. It is essential reading for students of Political Science, Sociology and Soviet History