The Gulag: A Very Short Introduction

The Gulag was a vast system of prisons,camps,and exile settlements in the Stalinist Soviet Union, combining the functions of a standard prison system with the goal of isolating and punishing alleged enemies of the regime. It stretched throughout the Soviet Union, from central Moscow to the farthest reaches of Siberia, and from its creation in 1930 to its partial dismantling in the mid-1950s, approximately 25 million people passed through it. Prisoners and exiles were forced to work in brutal conditions, and millions perished. Survivors attempted to reintegrate themselves into a Soviet political, social, and economic system that was hardly welcoming. The Gulag: A Very Short Introduction examines the Gulag and its legacy based on prisoner testimony, archival sources, and the latest scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. It answers pressing questions such as what was the Gulag, and why was it created? How did it fit into the Soviet social, cultural, and economic system? What did prisoners and exiles experience in the Gulag? What were their prospects for survival? How did former prisoners and exiles attempt to come to terms with their experiences after release?

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2024
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Gulag, a vast system of prisons, camps, and exile settlements, was a defining characteristic of the Stalinist Soviet Union and one of the most egregious examples of mass incarceration in the 20th century. Combining the functions of a standard prison system with the goal of isolating and punishing alleged enemies of the Soviet regime, it stretched throughout the Soviet Union, from central Moscow to the farthest reaches of Siberia. From its creation in 1930 to its partial dismantling in the mid-1950s, approximately 25 million people passed through the Gulag. Prisoners and exiles were forced to work in brutal conditions, and millions perished. Although the majority of prisoners and exiles were released after Stalin's death, this was not the end of their struggles. Survivors attempted to reintegrate themselves into a Soviet political, social, and economic system that was hardly welcoming. Although some former prisoners wrote or spoke about their experiences in the years and decades after release, it was not until after the collapse of the Soviet Union that a full reckoning became possible.

The Gulag: A Very Short Introduction examines the Gulag and its legacy based on prisoner testimony, archival sources, and the latest scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. It answers pressing questions such as: what was the Gulag, and why was it created? How did it fit into the Soviet social, cultural, and economic system? What did prisoners and exiles, who came from a wide range of backgrounds, experience in the Gulag? What were their prospects for survival? How did former prisoners and exiles attempt to come to terms with their experiences after release?

This Very Short Introduction focuses on three themes: the close social, cultural, political, and economic connections.

The Gulag was a system of forced labor camps that existed in the Soviet Union from 1930 to 1953. It was created by Joseph Stalin to punish political opponents, criminals, and other individuals deemed to be a threat to the Soviet state. The Gulag was characterized by harsh conditions, including long work hours, poor food, and inadequate medical care. Millions of people were imprisoned in the Gulag, and many died as a result of the harsh conditions.

The Gulag was not just a prison system; it was also a tool of political repression. The Soviet government used the Gulag to silence political opponents, destroy opposition movements, and maintain control over the population. Prisoners were often subjected to torture, forced labor, and other forms of abuse.

The Gulag had a profound impact on the lives of those who were imprisoned in it. Many prisoners lost their families, their livelihoods, and their freedom. The Gulag also created a sense of trauma and suffering that lasted for generations.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Gulag was finally abolished. However, the legacy of the Gulag continues to be felt today. Many former prisoners and exiles struggle to come to terms with their experiences, and the trauma of the Gulag is still present in Russian society.

The Gulag is a dark chapter in the history of the 20th century, and it serves as a reminder of the dangers of political repression and the importance of human rights. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is hope for justice and freedom.

Weight: 146g
Dimension: 111 x 174 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197548226