The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union

Michael Malice

Author

In The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, a six-hour course, we undertake a profound and thought-provoking journey through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, guided by the narrative insights of Michael Malice. From the early days of anarchism and communism to the tumultuous events that led to the collapse of the Soviet empire, we explore the key figures, pivotal moments, and far-reaching consequences of this significant period in history. Across eight detailed and highly descriptive lectures, we analyze the reigns of Joseph Stalin and his successors, the Cold War era, and the roles played by Western leaders and intellectuals, ultimately witnessing the dramatic fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union itself.

Study Group

Lectures

1. Revolution and Disillusion

In our introductory lecture, Michael Malice begins our journey into the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union by describing the tumultuous history of anarchism and communism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on key figures such as Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, and Vladimir Lenin. The lecture traces the rise of revolutionary fervor, the suppression of dissent, and the ultimate disillusionment experienced by Goldman and Berkman upon witnessing the realities of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.

Lecture Quiz
2. Stalin's Rise to Power

In lecture two, we study the rise of Joseph Stalin and the devastating consequences of his rule in the Soviet Union, focusing on the mass starvation in Ukraine known as the Holodomor and the Great Terror that followed. The lecture examines the role of Western journalists, particularly Walter Duranty of the New York Times, in downplaying the severity of the famine and the efforts of journalists like Gareth Jones and Malcolm Muggeridge to expose the truth. It concludes by discussing the impact of Stalin's paranoia and the Soviet system's flaws on various aspects of society, from industry and the arts to the very nature of reality itself.

Lecture Quiz
3. Stalin’s Paranoia Unleashed

In lecture three, Michael Malice walks us through the Soviet Union's Great Purge under Joseph Stalin, detailing the widespread arrests, torture, and executions of individuals across various sectors of society, including the secret police, military, government, and intelligentsia. The lecture highlights the paranoia, fear, and societal breakdown that characterized this period, as well as the complicity of Western intellectuals in justifying and supporting Stalin's actions.

Lecture Quiz