In this course the students will study the shortcomings of the communist system, efforts to reform it, and the consequences of those efforts. Concretely, the class will examine the essentials of the communist system as constructed by Lenin and Stalin, its stagnation under Brezhnev, Gorbachev's efforts to reform it, and the ensuing loss of control over the process and the eventual collapse of the system in the USSR and Eastern Europe. The course will conclude with an analysis of the international security problems in the former Soviet Union, Central Europe, and Europe in general, following the disintegration of the communist bloc. The End of the Soviet Empire , 1992. The Dynamics of Russian Politics, 1994.
Students are welcome to consult with the professor on any aspect of the course.
Consultation is especially recommended for students who are experiencing academic difficulties in the course. The Great Experiment that Failed 1. Green, Ch. 1-5 2. Glasnost and Perestioika 3. Loss of Control 6.