Member-only story

The Soviet Experience and American Prospects: Revised and Updated

W. Somerset Maugham

·19.9k Followers· Follow

Published in Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Experience And American Prospects Revised Updated

4 min read

883 View Claps

84 Respond

Save

Listen

The Soviet Experience and American Prospects: Revised and Updated is a book by Richard Pipes. It is a comprehensive history of the Soviet Union, from its origins to its collapse. Pipes argues that the Soviet Union was a fundamentally flawed system that was doomed to fail from the start. He also argues that the United States can learn from the Soviet experience and avoid making the same mistakes.

Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Experience and American Prospects-Revised & Updated

by Dmitry Orlov

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3216 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	360 pages

Pipes's Argument

Pipes's argument is based on the idea that the Soviet Union was a totalitarian state. This means that the government controlled every aspect of life, from the economy to the media. Pipes argues that this level of control is unsustainable in the long run. Eventually, the people will revolt against the government and the state will collapse.

Pipes also argues that the Soviet Union's economic system was flawed. The government owned and controlled all of the means of production. This led to a lack of innovation and efficiency. The Soviet economy was also plagued by shortages of goods and services.

Finally, Pipes argues that the Soviet Union's foreign policy was aggressive and expansionist. The Soviet Union sought to spread communism throughout the world. This led to a number of wars and conflicts, including the Cold War.

The Lessons for America

Pipes believes that the United States can learn from the Soviet experience. He argues that the United States should avoid the following mistakes:

Creating a totalitarian state
Implementing a centrally planned economy
Pursuing an aggressive foreign policy

Pipes believes that the United States can only remain a free and prosperous country if it follows these principles.

The Soviet Experience and American Prospects: Revised and Updated is a valuable book for anyone who wants to understand the Soviet Union and its collapse. Pipes's analysis is clear and concise, and his arguments are well-supported. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in history, politics, or economics.

The Soviet Union: A History From Beginning To End Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Experience And American Prospects Revised Updated