Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union

Module code: HS2348

The end of three hundred years of the Romanov dynasty marked the beginning of a dramatically different era in Russian history. V.I. Lenin and the Bolsheviks were dedicated to the transformation of all aspects of society, and sought to destroy all vestiges of the old regime.

This module examines the creation of the world’s first socialist state and the changing features of Soviet politics, culture and society over the seven decades of communist rule. Topics you’ll explore include urban and rural unrest in late Imperial Russia, the rise of Bolshevism and the new revolutionary culture, the consolidation of Soviet power and the brutality of J.V. Stalin’s rule.

You’ll also examine M.S. Gorbachev’s reforms, which led to the sudden end of the Soviet experiment and how and why this came to be. Exploring the ideologies, beliefs and culture of the Soviet Union will develop your understanding of socialist governments – as well as our own.