The Russian Moment in World History

by Marshall T. Poe

Is Russian history one big inevitable failure? The Soviet Union's demise and Russia's ensuing troubles have led many to wonder. But this is to look through a skewed prism indeed. In this provocative and elegantly written short history of Russia, Marshall Poe takes us well beyond the Soviet haze deep into the nation's fascinating—not at all inevitable, and in key respects remarkably successful—past.

Tracing Russia's course from its beginnings to the present day, Poe shows that Russia was the only non-Western power to defend itself against Western imperialism for centuries. It did so by building a powerful state that molded society to its military needs. Thus arose the only non-Western path to modern society--a unique path neither "European" nor "Asian" but, most aptly, "Russian."

From the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, Russia prevailed despite unparalleled onslaughts by powerful Western armies. However, while Europe nurtured limited government, capitalism, and scientific and cultural revolution, early Russian society cultivated autocracy and command economics. Both Europe and Russia eventually created modern infrastructures, but the European model proved more productive and powerful. The post-World War I communist era can be seen as a natural continuation of Russia's autocratic past that, despite its tragic turns, kept Russia globally competitive for decades.

The Russian moment in world history thus began with its first confrontations with Europe in the fifteenth century, and ended in 1991 with the Soviet collapse. Written with verve and great insight, The Russian Moment in World History will be widely read and vigorously debated by those who seek a clear and unequivocal understanding of the complex history that has made Russia what it is today.

Genres: History, Russia, Soviet Union, College, Academic, Nonfiction, Class

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Marshall Tillbrook Poe (born December 29, 1961) is an American historian, writer, editor and founder of the New Books Network, an online collection of podcast interviews with a wide range of non-fiction authors. He has taught Russian, European, Eurasian and World history at various universities including Harvard, Columbia, University of Iowa, and, currently, the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has also taught courses on new media and online collaboration.

Poe is the author or editor of a number of books on early modern Russia. He has also published A History of Communications: Media and Society from the Evolution of Speech to the Internet, a book that examines how various communications media shape social practices and values.

In 2005, Poe founded the now-defunct MemoryArchive, a universal wiki-type archive of contemporary memoirs. It encouraged people to contribute written accounts of their personal memories that would be part of a searchable, online database. There he contributed numerous personal accounts of his own, from playing basketball with Barack Obama, to stumbling onto a crime scene of Dennis Rader's, the BTK serial killer.

In 2006, Poe wrote an influential commentary on Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, while serving as a writer, researcher and editor at The Atlantic magazine.

Reviews

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall Poe is a graduate of Grinnell College, so you know this book is going to be well researched, insightful, thought provoking, etc. If only he'd written this AFTER Putin showed the true nature of his soul.

[Luis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, quick, and condensed read on Russian history. Gives an interesting perspective to Rus’, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation - especially given current events.

[Barry Smirnoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

This a very brief and partisan analysis of “The Russian Moment” in history. A very simplistic account of rising and falling of “Russian” civilization. He criticizes the various schools of Empire building and states that Moscovy/Russian power grew on the European periphery to defend against invasions from the West. The great state builders, Ivan the Great, Peter the Great, and Lenin/Stalin borrowed from the West and reached its zenith in the post-war period, and then, the whole project fell apart. Reformers fail: Catherine, Alexander II and Gorbachev. Now Russia is imploding while dreaming of returning to Imperial greatness. For modern Russia, he recommends Pipes, while saying that Koenker is a “ liberal interpretation. But it is a quick read and an interesting survey of a very complicated subject.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book for my history class and at the beginning had quite high hopes for it. But honestly, it let me down. It goes through such a huge period of history in only 100 pages and ultimately leaves out crucial moments in history. Also, I feel that the last chapter is quite redundant and unnecessary. The idea of "what if" history, is just not necessary in a book of this length.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but interesting overview of Russian history. A worthwhile read.

[Callie Riabov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for two different courses
Led to a lot of interesting class discussions

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of interesting to see view the modern Russian/Soviet history from a long camera lens. But only kind of interesting.

[K Lennart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Läst första upplagen, finns ett par saker som borde bli klarare om man läser andra. Det är en intressant genomgång av den ryska särvägen till modernitet. Kortfattad men mycket intressant och på vägen punktera författarna några gamla myter om Ryssland. Det är intressant att se hur tydligt Putin ansluter sig till en gammal rysk tradition som har sina rätter i 1400-talet. En bra inledning till studier av Ryssland idag, eller för att friska upp sina gamla kunskaper som för mig.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some parts I do not totally agree with in his approach, but it did not diminish the reading of the book. I think he is quite right on the geography argument and defense of its fluid borders, an argument which is not popular, but does not change its reality.

[Czarina · Rating 1 out of 5]

It could be a bit more clear in places and leaves a lot to be desired in terms of explaining or addressing opposing views, given that it's aimed towards the more casual reader.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely cannot believe I have had to read this for two classes now.

[Илья Дескулин · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise but precise account of Russian peculiar political institutions.