From the closure of the Russian Constituent Assembly to the decline of the Soviets: an inside look

   A book written by Doctor of Legal Science, professor, member of the Union of Writers of Russia, B. A. Kurkin. From the Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly to the Downfall of the Soviets: a view from within, is made up of two parts; The Overwhelming Minority (Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly) and The Living and the Undead. The latter is dedicated to the evolution of Soviet ideology and self-identity both among leaders and ordinary people in the run up to the war with Nazi Germany, during and after it. It maps the turn from revolutionary chimeras to brutal realities; from ideological undead to vibrant life. The book unfolds in detail the role of an external factor, that is, the Great War, in bringing about changes within Russian society. Time, the era, history come alive in the memories and diaries of contemporaries – those who participated and witnessed the described events, people from very different circles each with their merits and drawbacks. The book recounts how and in what circumstances decrees, which specified the physiognomy of events, were born, as well as documents known at present to only a narrow circle of specialists. ‘Deeds of bygone years’ seep through the fates and exploits of historical figures, who are at times aware, but much more frequently unaware of where the line of events is taking them. The book differentiates itself from many historical studies on this topic by its full-blooded quotation of sources (it does not pluck out phrases only convenient for academic compiling), which highlight key events in our history specifically from within by those who lived at the time. This book is about how dangerous and colossal the aftermath of radical, socio-political experiments is, especially when they are foreign to the spirit and historical heritage of Russia.