Dissolution: Sovereignty and the Breakup of the Soviet Union (Soviet Bloc and After) (The Soviet Bloc and After) - Softcover

Walker, Edward W.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0742524531 ISBN 13: 9780742524538

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2003

Synopsis

In December 1991, the Soviet Union passed into history as a legal entity, breaking apart into 15 successor states. This clear and convincing book explains why. It emphasizes the critical role of Soviet ethno-federalism, as well as the normative claims and legitimizing myths of Soviet nationality policy. Institutional constraints and legitimizing myths, Walker argues, empowered the anti-union opposition even in republics where it had limited popular support. He also shows how they helped bring about an outcome_the full dissolution of the USSR_that surprisingly few desired.

About this title

Review

An elegantly written, lucid discussion of why the Soviet Union fell apart in precisely the way that it did. The book also offers a convincing explanation of why the autonomous formations within the USSR were unable to achieve independence and international recognition.--John B. Dunlop, Stanford University

Walker's book blends theoretical sophistication, intimate knowledge of the Soviet system's nature and inner workings, and a real sense of history. It is a highly ambitious and successful effort to grapple with one of the most momentous events of our time.--M. Steven Fish, University of California, Berkeley

This is the best available description of how and why the Soviet Union was transformed into fifteen independent states. A terrific book!--Yuri Slezkine, University of California, Berkeley

The demise of the Soviet Union remains a mystery for both politicians and scholars not only in the West but in Russia as well. Explaining this dramatic event, Edward Walker separates the dissolution of an ethno-territorial state from the death of socialism as a regime type. In his intriguing story, he addresses the deep causes of the breakup and shows the shortcomings of the Soviet ethno-federal system. Walker's compelling analysis of Gorbachev's efforts to save the collapsing is convincing. This book is a first class scholarly contribution to the study of one of the most perplexing events of the 20th century.--Vitaly Naumkin, International Center for Strategic and Political Studies

[This book] draws deserved attention to a set of factors all too often neglected in studies of Soviet disintegration. Walker's account remains balanced throughout. . . . This fine little volume combines an enviable grasp of the issues with a lucid theoretical framework and a readable style. Advanced scholars and graduate students alike will benefit from a close reading.--The Russian Review

Walker reminds the reader with skillfully reconstructed detail of the intricate and delicate emendations of 'sovereignty' already underway in Moscow and the republics before the collapse.--Foreign Affairs

Edward Walker has produced an excellent book that makes a unique contribution to the large and growing literature on the downfall of the Soviet Union. In focusing attention on the importance of notions of sovereignty in a concise, readable way, Walker's book is well suited not only for the edification of expert readers but also for assignment in university courses on Soviet history and issues related to nationalism and federalism.--Journal of Cold War Studies

Ned Walker tells a fascinating, compelling story of a cascade of events and decisions that led to an outcome few had anticipated. The scholarship is excellent; the tone, the balance, and the fairness of Walker's judgments are commendable.--Ronald Grigor Suny, William H. Sewell Jr. Distinguished University Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan

About the Author

Edward W. Walker is executive director, Berkeley Program in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies, University of California, Berkeley, and adjunct associate professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0742524531
• ISBN 13: 9780742524538
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 216