Stalin's Usable Past: A Critical Edition of the 1937 Short History of the USSR

The Short History of the USSR, edited by Joseph Stalin in 1937, transformed how a generation of Soviet citizens understood the past, establishing a thousand-year pedigree for the Soviet state and breaking with two decades of Bolshevik propaganda. David Brandenberger's "Stalin's Usable Past" provides a critical edition of the textbook, analyzing its text and placing it in historical context, revealing Stalin's personal involvement in its development.

Format: Hardback
Length: 472 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2024
Publisher: Stanford University Press

At the height of the Great Terror in 1937, Joseph Stalin took a break from the purges to edit a new textbook on the history of the USSR. Published shortly thereafter, the Short History of the USSR amounted to an ideological sea change. Stalin had literally rewritten Russo-Soviet History, breaking with two decades of Bolshevik propaganda that styled the 1917 Revolution as the start of a new era. In its place, he established a thousand-year pedigree for the Soviet state that stretched back through the Russian empire and Muscovy to the very dawn of Slavic civilization. Appearing in million-copy print runs through 1955, the Short History transformed how a generation of Soviet citizens were to understand the past, not only in public school and adult indoctrination courses, but on the printed page, the theatrical stage, and the silver screen.

Stalin's Usable Past supplies a critical edition of the Short History that both analyzes the text and places it in historical context. By highlighting Stalin's precise redactions and embellishments, historian David Brandenberger reveals the scope of Stalin's personal involvement in the textbook's development, documenting in unprecedented detail his plans for the transformation of Soviet society's historical imagination.

The Short History of the USSR, published in 1937, marked a significant ideological shift in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin's leadership. It challenged the prevailing Bolshevik propaganda that portrayed the 1917 Revolution as the beginning of a new era and instead established a thousand-year pedigree for the Soviet state that traced its roots back through the Russian empire and Muscovy to the dawn of Slavic civilization. The textbook's impact was immense, with million-copy print runs through 1955, and it profoundly shaped how a generation of Soviet citizens understood their past.

In Stalin's Usable Past, historian David Brandenberger provides a critical edition of the Short History that delves into its historical context and analyzes Stalin's personal involvement in its development. By highlighting Stalin's precise redactions and embellishments, Brandenberger reveals the extent of Stalin's personal involvement in shaping the textbook's narrative and its portrayal of Soviet history.

The Short History of the USSR was a powerful tool for propagating Stalin's vision of Soviet society. It portrayed the Soviet state as a continuation of a thousand-year-old tradition of Russian and Muscovite rule, legitimizing Stalin's authoritarian rule and consolidating his power. The textbook's emphasis on the continuity of Soviet history served to erase any traces of opposition or dissent, portraying the Soviet Union as a stable and prosperous society under Stalin's leadership.

However, the Short History of the USSR was not without its flaws. While it presented a coherent narrative of Soviet history, it often omitted or downplayed certain aspects that did not fit Stalin's vision. For example, the textbook downplayed the role of the Russian Revolution in shaping Soviet society, instead emphasizing the continuity of Russian and Muscovite rule. This omission served to reinforce Stalin's claim that the Soviet Union was a natural continuation of Russian history, rather than a product of the 1917 Revolution.

Despite its flaws, the Short History of the USSR had a profound impact on Soviet society. It became a mandatory textbook in public schools and adult indoctrination courses, and its narrative was reinforced through the use of propaganda and the arts. The textbook's portrayal of Soviet history became a cornerstone of Soviet identity, shaping how Soviet citizens viewed themselves and their place in the world.

In conclusion, Joseph Stalin's Short History of the USSR was a powerful tool for propagating his vision of Soviet society. It established a thousand-year pedigree for the Soviet state and portrayed the Soviet Union as a continuation of a thousand-year-old tradition of Russian and Muscovite rule. While it had its flaws, the textbook's impact on Soviet society was immense, shaping how a generation of Soviet citizens understood their past and their place in the world. Stalin's personal involvement in the textbook's development was a key factor in its success, and his redactions and embellishments helped to reinforce his vision of Soviet history.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503637863