From Stalin to Mao : Albania and the socialist world

This book interprets socialism as a form of globalization by telling the unknown history of a small country that found itself entangled in some of the biggest developments of the Cold War. Within two decades, Albania went from fascist Italian rule to Nazi occupation, a brief interlude as a Yugoslav satellite, and then to a heady period of borrowings—government advisers, brand new factories, school textbooks, urban plans, and everything in between— from the Soviet Union in the 1950s. With Soviet backing, Albania’s regime launched a bold experiment: turn illiterate peasants into conscious workers. Ambitious but poor, the country also turned into a contact zone between East German engineers, Czech planners, and Hungarian geologists who came to help build socialism from scratch. Then, the socialist world shattered. During the Sino-Soviet conflict of the 1960s, Albania’s party clique switched allegiance to China, seeing in Mao’s patronage an opportunity to keep Stalinism alive. Combining an analysis of ideology with a keen sense of geopolitics, this book explores this strange connectivity of socialism, showing how socialism created a shared material and mental culture—still evident today across Eurasia—but it failed to generate political unity. Elidor Mëhilli Has Produced A Groundbreaking History Of Communist Albania That Illuminates One Of Europe's Longest But Least Understood Dictatorships. From Stalin To Mao, Which Is Informed Throughout By Mëhilli?s Unprecedented Access To Previously Restricted Archives, Captures The Powerful Globalism Of Post-1945 Socialism, As Well As The Unintended Consequences Of Cross-border Exchanges From The Mediterranean To East Asia. After A Decade Of Vigorous Borrowing From The Soviet Union?advisers, Factories, School Textbooks, Urban Plans?albania?s Party Clique Switched Allegiance To China During The 1960s Sino-soviet Conflict, Seeing In Mao?s Patronage An Opportunity To Keep Stalinism Alive. Mëhilli Shows How Socialism Created A Shared Transnational Material And Mental Culture?still Evident Today Around Eurasia?but It Failed To Generate Political Unity. Combining An Analysis Of Ideology With A Sharp Sense Of Geopolitics, He Brings Into View Fascist Italy?s Involvement In Albania, Then Explores The Country?s Eastern Bloc Entanglements, The Profound Fascination With The Soviets, And The Contradictions Of The Dramatic Anti-soviet Turn. Richly Illustrated With Never-before-published Photographs, From Stalin To Mao Draws On A Wealth Of Albanian, Russian, German, British, Italian, Czech, And American Archival Sources, In Addition To Fiction, Interviews, And Memoirs. Mëhilli?s Fresh Perspective On The Soviet-chinese Battle For The Soul Of Revolution In The Global Cold War Also Illuminates The Paradoxes Of State Planning In The Twentieth Century.0. Elidor Mëhilli. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Elidor Mëhilli has produced a groundbreaking history of communist Albania that illuminates one of Europe’s longest but least understood dictatorships. From Stalin to Mao, which is informed throughout by Mëhilli’s unprecedented access to previously restricted archives, captures the powerful globalism of post-1945 socialism, as well as the unintended consequences of cross-border exchanges from the Mediterranean to East Asia.

After a decade of vigorous borrowing from the Soviet Union—advisers, factories, school textbooks, urban plans—Albania’s party clique switched allegiance to China during the 1960s Sino-Soviet conflict, seeing in Mao’s patronage an opportunity to keep Stalinism alive. Mëhilli shows how socialism created a shared transnational material and mental culture—still evident today around Eurasia—but it failed to generate political unity. Combining an analysis of ideology with a sharp sense of geopolitics, he brings into view Fascist Italy’s involvement in Albania, then explores the country’s Eastern bloc entanglements, the profound fascination with the Soviets, and the contradictions of the dramatic anti-Soviet turn. Richly illustrated with never-before-published photographs, From Stalin to Mao draws on a wealth of Albanian, Russian, German, British, Italian, Czech, and American archival sources, in addition to fiction, interviews, and memoirs. Mëhilli’s fresh perspective on the Soviet-Chinese battle for the soul of revolution in the global Cold War also illuminates the paradoxes of state planning in the twentieth century.

"Elidor Mëhilli has produced a groundbreaking history of communist Albania that illuminates one of Europe's longest but least understood dictatorships. From Stalin to Mao, which is informed throughout by Mëhilli's unprecedented access to previously restricted archives, captures the powerful globalism of post-1945 socialism, as well as the unintended consequences of cross-border exchanges from the Mediterranean to East Asia. After a decade of vigorous borrowing from the Soviet Union--advisers, factories, school textbooks, urban plans--Albania's party clique switched allegiance to China during the 1960s Sino-Soviet conflict, seeing in Mao's patronage an opportunity to keep Stalinism alive. Mëhilli shows how socialism created a shared transnational material and mental culture--still evident today around Eurasia--but it failed to generate political unity. Combining an analysis of ideology with a sharp sense of geopolitics, he brings into view Fascist Italy's involvement in Albania, then explores the country's Eastern bloc entanglements, the profound fascination with the Soviets, and the contradictions of the dramatic anti-Soviet turn. Richly illustrated with never-before-published photographs, From Stalin to Mao draws on a wealth of Albanian, Russian, German, British, Italian, Czech, and American archival sources, in addition to fiction, interviews, and memoirs. Mëhilli's fresh perspective on the Soviet-Chinese battle for the soul of revolution in the global Cold War also illuminates the paradoxes of state planning in the twentieth century."--Jacket This text interprets socialism as a form of globalization by telling the unknown history of a small country that found itself entangled in some of the biggest developments of the Cold War