This book by Robert Strayer provides a history of the Soviet Union beginning with the 1917 revolution and analyzes various theories about what caused its collapse. The revolution was of course based on the ideas of Marx that were expanded by Lenin. Even Lenin’s ideas were being questioned and rejected by the time of the collapse. However, flaws in Communism weren’t the only reason the Soviet Union dissolved. The huge empire was an agglomeration of many ethnic groups that had diverse aspirations. The desire of politicians for the Soviet Union to be a world power had caused resources to be stretched to the breaking point through domestic and foreign commitments and expenditures. However, as interesting as the history and analysis might be, my favorite part of the book was the jokes recounted in the last three paragraphs of this posting that citizens privately told each other about the system and their leaders.

“Soviet” was the name given to grassroots councils that had sprung up in 1905 and again in 1917. Some historians believe the Soviet Union was doomed from the beginning, because of the “…fatal flaw created by the utopian social engineering that flew in the face of both history and human nature.” Stalin assured success of his regime through the use of force that removed much of the middle and upper classes through execution and starvation. The record of Stalin’s purges, suppression of anyone or group that might oppose him or his policies, and endless inhuman brutality is difficult to understand, especially because he was admired by liberals who thought his “grand experiment” in Socialism/Communism should be imitated by other countries. The fear generated by the brutality of his methods did result in cohesion of the regime. The victory in World War II also validated the regime despite the 20-30 million casualties and devastation of the country.

Nikita Khrushchev became the leader in 1953, exposed Stalin’s crimes, and freed millions of prisoners from the Gulag. He also relaxed some cultural and intellectual freedoms. Party conservatives weren’t pleased, and he was ousted in 1964. Brezhnev, who became known for his dedication to the status quo, refused to acknowledge and address problems. The regime struggled with stagnation in both the economy and technology. Failure to maintain the infrastructure resulted in agricultural products being wasted instead of distributed, and a black market filled the gaps. Corruption became engrained. Poorly performing enterprises never went bankrupt, and poorly performing workers received identical compensation as good performers. Foreign policy ventures in Cuba, Angola, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, and especially Afghanistan bled resources that were needed domestically. Brezhnev was replaced by Andropov, who initiated controlled reform, but soon died of kidney failure. Gorbachev proposed reforms and introduced the words “perestroika,” or restructuring, and “glasnost,” or openness. Social and economic problems that had been presented as a product of capitalism were revealed as a problem with communism. One writer observed, “No people in the history of mankind were ever enslaved by myths as our people were in the twentieth century. We had thought we had tied our lives to a great truth, only to realize we had entrusted ourselves to an intellectual fantasy which could never be realized…We thought that building communism in the USSR was the greatest deed of the people, but we were purposefully engaging in self destruction…We thought that capitalism was a sick old man…but it turned out capitalism was healthy, powerful…”

Glasnost brought a surge of nationalism within the 15 republics. The republics replaced the Supreme Soviet with an elected parliament, and the “Gorbachev experiment” came to an end when Boris Yeltsin was elected President.

There is a short discussion about how the aggressive Reagan policies drove a weakening USSR to ruin. The strategy was to undermine the Soviets in cooperation of Saudi Arabia by holding down oil prices to deprive the Soviets of foreign currency while engaging in a costly military competition with the U.S. The author dismisses this, but I would have to argue with him that it couldn’t have helped the Soviets.

My favorite part of the book was the jokes Russians told each other (undoubtedly very quietly) about the ineptness of their government. A peasant visiting the city asks for various commodities and takes notes when he is told there are none. For example, he asks for meat in a shop, is told there isn’t any, and he writes “no meat” in his notebook. This goes on in and out of several shops until a surly man asks what he is doing. He responds that he is taking notes about the conditions in the city so he can give his wife an accurate report. The man scoffs and tells him there was a time when he could have been shot for that. The peasant writes “no bullets” in his notebook.

A short but insightful joke is about a person who is arrested for shouting “Brezhnev is an idiot!” in public. The person was sentenced to ten years in prison. Five years were for disturbing the peace and five years were for revealing a state secret.

Another joke titled “Soviet History in a Single Joke,” might not be considered to be very funny, but it reveals what the Russian people thought of their leaders. Lenin was the flawed political scientist, Stalin the brutal dictator, Khrushchev the impulsive reformer, Brezhnev the avoider of reality, and Gorbachev was the father of glasnost, which inferred if mistakes were openly admitted they could be corrected. The five leaders were on a train that suddenly stopped in a remote region. The leaders were told that the train tracks had unexpectedly ended. Lenin issued a call for a voluntary day of work for local folks to extend the tracks. Stalin objected and ordered the leaders of the railroad ministry executed and the train engineer exiled to Siberia. Khrushchev suggested tearing up the tracks behind the train to lay them in front. Brezhnev ordered the shades to be drawn and for all travelers to close their eyes and rock back and forth as if the train was moving. Gorbachev asked the windows to be opened and for everyone to stick their heads out and repeatedly shout, “There are no tracks!”

Another joke I’ve read somewhere else is that a Russian and American were arguing which country is best. The American observed that someone on a busy street corner of New York could shout “Reagan is an idiot” without risk, although some might stop to argue with him. The Russian responded that anyone could shout “Reagan is an idiot” on a busy street corner of Moscow, and there would be no risk of anyone arguing with him.