Abstract
More than 30 years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there are still debates in the Russian Federation about whether the USSR collapsed (in Russian, raspalsea) or whether it was destroyed (in Russian, razvalili). Accepting one version or the other is trivially simple. So is rejecting them. To accept the destruction thesis is to fall for conspiracy theories, quite widespread in Russia: allegedly, organizations, such as the CIA, or individuals, such as M.S. Gorbachev or B.N. Yeltsin, deliberately imploded the Union. Relatedly, accepting that the USSR collapsed all by itself, for objective historical reasons, is seen as neglecting the role of personalities and their ability to react to the challenges of the times in which they lived. The article highlights the most widespread views in Russian historiography about on this debate. It also explores how political dynamics affected such historiographical discussions.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
