Soviet state and society between revolutions, 1918-1929

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the Soviet state and society from the October Revolution of 1917 to the Stalinist era of the late 1920s. Lewis Siegelbaum explores how the promise of a new society shaped the thinking of those who experienced the preceding order, and how the old order limited new possibilities. He examines how Party leaders, worker activists, artists, and scientists navigated what to abolish, retain, or transform. The author traces the evolution of the Communist Party, its New Economic Policy, and the changing fortunes of various social groups, revealing the compromises made and why they ultimately broke down.