The Soviet Union had possessed the largest military machine ever assembled on this planet by a single political authority. It had been governed by an apparently monolithic party with historically unparalleled instruments of compulsion. Tentacles of its elaborate bureaucracy had reached into every crevice of its subjects’ lives. Its ideology had purported to reveal the secret of harnessing the very tides of history. How could such a state simply have destroyed itself?
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2004 Nick Bisley
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bisley, N. (2004). The Cold War and the Soviet State. In: The End of the Cold War and the Causes of Soviet Collapse. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230000544_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230000544_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-51815-9
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-00054-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)