Stalin's Master Narrative

A Critical Edition of the History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks), Short Course

Brandenberger David, Zelenov Mikhail V.

"The Short Course on the History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks)" defined Stalinist ideology both at home and abroad. It was quite literally the the master narrative of the USSR – a hegemonic statement on history, politics, and Marxism-Leninism that scripted Soviet society for a generation. This study exposes the enormous role that Stalin played in the development of this all-important text, as well as the unparalleled influence that he wielded over the Soviet historical imagination.

About the Author

David Brandenberger is professor of history at the University of Richmond and the author of Propaganda State in Crisis.

Mikhail Zelenov is professor of history and main specialist at the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History (RGASPI).

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