This balanced text has been revised to reflect the dramatic changes that have occurred in the former Soviet Union and to give students the context in which they can understand the roots of those changes. Introduced by a discussion of Russian history just prior to the Revolution, the text looks at the development of the Soviet Union goes beyond the political to reveal the complexity of social, economic, diplomatic, and cultural forces that have shaped this country. Two new chapters bring students up to date on the collapse of the Soviet Union and the legacy of Soviet Communism. Highly praised Problems sections offer conflicting points of view among Soviet, post-Soviet, and Western historians, giving readers insight into the past and present debates in this changing nation.