The Demise of Marxism-Leninism in Russia (St. Antony's Series)

The authors - leading specialists on the former Soviet Union and the new Russia - examine the importance of innovative ideas in bringing about the downfall of Communism. Though it remains a significant presence in Russian politics, even the Communist Party has largely abandoned Marxist-Leninist doctrine. Archie Brown, the late Alexander Dallin, the late Alec Nove, Gail Lapidus, T.H. Rigby and Igor Timofeyev examine the relationship between political change and innovative concepts in key areas of policy. The work of some of the world's leading specialists on the former Soviet Union and on post-Soviet Russian politics is brought together in this volume. The authors discuss the decline and fall of Marxism-Leninism as a ruling ideology in the Soviet Union and its failure to make a significant comeback in post-Soviet Russia. They analyse the rise of liberal and social democratic thought in Russia and examine the conceptual revolution of the Gorbachev era. Particular attention is paid to radically new ideas on the political and economic systems, on foreign policy, and on nationalism, sovereignty and federalism. In chapters that carefully complement each other, the authors make a major contribution to understanding the nature and sources of change in Russia over the past two decades. They not only show how an ideological system was turned on its head in the former USSR but also throw light on the independent role that can be played in politics generally by ideational change A Team Of Leading Specialists On The Former Soviet Union And The New Russia Show Clearly The Importance Of Innovative Ideas In Bringing About The Downfall Of Communism In Russia. The Rise Of Non-leninist Thinking About The Political System / Archie Brown -- The Rise Of Non-leninist Thinking On The Economy / Alec Nove -- The Development Of Russian Liberal Thought Since 1985 / Igor V. Timofeyev -- Transforming The 'national Question' : New Approaches To Nationalism, Federalism And Sovereignty / Gail W. Lapidus -- The Rise Of New Thinking On Soviet Foreign Policy / Alexander Dallin -- The Development Of New Thinking About World Communism / Alexander Dallin -- Some Concluding Observations / T. H. Rigby. Edited By Archie Brown. Successor Volume To ... 'new Thinking In Soviet Politics' ... Written In 1992--preface. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Notes on the Contributors......Page 12 Glossary......Page 16 1 Introduction......Page 18 2 The Rise of Non-Leninist Thinking about the Political System......Page 36 3 The Rise of Non-Leninist Thinking on the Economy......Page 58 4 The Development of Russian Liberal Thought since 1985......Page 68 5 Transforming the ‘National Question’: New Approaches to Nationalism, Federalism and Sovereignty......Page 136 6 The Rise of New Thinking on Soviet Foreign Policy......Page 195 7 The Development of New Thinking about World Communism......Page 209 8 Some Concluding Observations......Page 224 B......Page 242 C......Page 243 F......Page 244 I......Page 245 L......Page 246 N......Page 247 R......Page 248 T......Page 249 Z......Page 250 Annotation In The Demise of Marxism-Leninism in Russia, distinguished specialists chart the rise of new thinking on the Soviet system and the decline and fall of Marxism-Leninism in the late Soviet period. They also discuss the failure of Marxism-Leninism to make a comeback in post-Soviet Russia. This book makes a significant contribution to understanding the independent importance of ideas in politics and provides clear analyses of the rise of liberal and social democratic thought about the political system, the economy, international Communism, nationalism and federalism