The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of Soviet Union history. Specifically it will discuss whether the Soviet Union was a relatively stable dictatorship that lasted seven decades or a primarily unstable system that collapsed of its own weight. Communist, democratic, autocratic, the history of the Soviet Union is as diverse as the country itself. Many factors contributed to the instability of the country, from dictatorial leaders, corrupt political parties, and oppression to poor economic policies and social unrest.
             Socially, the Soviet Union began on extremely shaky roots. The Bolshevik Revolution took place in 1917, and disposed the monarchy, creating instead a Communist state. However, civil wars plagued the new Communist regime until the 1920s, and there were many who fought the overthrow of the Tsar and his family. Before the Revolution, peasants worked the land for the nobles and ultimately the Tsar. Author Suny notes, "Tsar and noble supported each other, maintaining a stable political regime that could defend the realm against foreign threats, keep the various nobles from fighting each other, collect taxes and keep order over the immense spread of the Russian lands, and preserve the nobles' hold over their peasant serfs" (Suny 12). Thus, the people were bound to their land and their master. After the Revolution, not much changed, because the people had to pay back their "redemption" payments to the state, and they were still bound to the land, so their lives did not dramatically change. There was still unrest and inequality, although the Bolsheviks had hoped to create an equal and balanced society. This continues throughout Soviet history, with great discrepancies between city and country dwellers, and certainly between the ruling party, the government leadership, and the people. All was not equal, which creates dissatisfaction and undermines the foundation of the country.
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