This update to The History of the Soviet Economy covers the period from the Bolshevik seizure of power to the aftermath of the failed coup, which speeded up the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The final chapter encompasses Gorbachev's attempt to reform the old system and the failure of that attempt. The development of glasnost included the opening to Russian and foreign scholars of archives and access to information previously concealed. Newley available information has therefore been added to individual chapters where relevant.