Communism in Decline: From Sputnik to Gorbachev

In "Communism in Decline: From Sputnik to Gorbachev," Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius explores the rise and fall of the Soviet Union's communist experiment, initiated by Marx and Engels in 1848 as a vision for total social equality. Over 12 engaging lectures, he examines both the internal and external challenges that led to the decline of this grand idea, considering the critical mistakes made by Soviet leaders who were misled by their own ideology. Listeners will gain insight into the dramatic shifts from triumphs like the 1957 space race victory to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet state in 1991.