The History of the Gulag: From Collectivization to the Great Terror (Annals of Communism Series)

The Gulag: A History is a groundbreaking book that provides the first comprehensive, historically accurate account of the Soviet labor camp system.

Written by Russian historian Oleg Khlevniuk, this book uncovers the secrets of the Gulag and how it became a central component of Soviet ideology and social policy.

With extensive archives and long-suppressed state and Communist Party documents, Khlevniuk argues persuasively that the Stalinist penal camps were essentially different from previous camps, with political motivations and paranoia about potential enemies contributing no more to the expansion of the Gulag than the economic incentive of slave labor.

The book also offers powerful evidence that the Great Terror was planned centrally and targeted against particular categories of the population.

This exceptionally informed and balanced view of the Gulag is a must-read for anyone interested in Soviet history, political science, or human rights.