History 102 with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Austin Padgett Explaining the Soviet Union
Dec 23, 2025
Delve into the tumultuous history of the Soviet Union, from its czarist roots to the chaos of revolution. Discover how Lenin's return influenced the Bolsheviks' rise to power and the brutal realities of Stalin's regime. Explore the terror of mass purges and starvation during the Holodomor. Witness the USSR's role in World War II and the ensuing Cold War. Finally, investigate Gorbachev's reforms that led to the collapse of this powerful state. Each topic reveals the complex dynamics that shaped a nation and its ideologies.
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Civilization Built Against Nature
- The Soviet Union attempted to build a civilization that rejected historical instincts and natural social incentives.
- Rudyard Lynch argues this radical break explains why the USSR was uniquely destructive.
Early Predictions From French Thinkers
- 19th-century French thinkers contrasted America and Russia to predict future global powers and regime outcomes.
- They saw America's self-reliant culture as sustaining democracy while Russia's servitude bred authoritarian outcomes.
Feudal Structure Inside A Modern State
- Russia combined a modern centralized state with feudal social relations, producing perverse incentives and reliance on foreign expertise.
- The end of serfdom created dislocated elites and a literate cohort that fed revolutionary movements.