Review of the Book by V.M. Zubok "Collapse. The Fall of the Soviet Union”

Abstract

The article considers the monograph by professor of the London School of Economics and Political Sciences V.M. Zubok “Collapse. The Fall of the Soviet Union” published in Russia in 2023. Considering that in recent years the number of works devoted to this issue has noticeably decreased, the appearance of such a thorough study is an important scientific event. The purpose of this article is to determine the author’s contribution to uncovering the problem of the USSR collapse. This monograph is considered in the general context of modern scientific issues devoted to the collapse of the USSR. The expert assessment is based on the following criteria: scientific objectivity, the nature of the sources and literature used, the structure of presentation and the general intent of the work. Based on the analysis of the V.M. Zubok’s monograph, it can be concluded that this work represents a fundamental historical and political science study. The author uses a huge number of diverse (and in many ways unique) sources, while focusing on personal materials (memoirs, interviews). This approach helps to understand the subjective (hidden) mechanisms of making certain fateful decisions. The undoubted advantages of the study include a comprehensive consideration of the economic, political, and national processes that took place in the late USSR, considering the foreign policy factor that influenced the fate of the Soviet Union. The main reason for the fall of the Soviet Union according to V.M. Zubok are reforms that were extremely unsuccessful and not suitable for the Soviet state, given the uniqueness and specificity of the country. In addition to the mistakes of the top leadership, the author places great responsibility for the fall of the USSR on the “Western partners” of Gorbachev (primarily the USA). The George W. Bush administration could, if it wanted, save the USSR by providing large-scale financial and economic assistance. However, as the author proves, the United States did not intend to do this, patiently watching the collapse of its strategic enemy. Therefore, Zubok’s study helps to better understand the meaning of modern Russian policy aimed at not repeating the mistakes of perestroika.