Soviet

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union, officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a state governed as a single-party system, with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) as the central institution.

History

The Soviet Union had its roots in the October Revolution of 1917, when the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the Russian Provisional Government which had replaced Tsar Nicholas II. This led to the Russian Civil War, which lasted from 1917 to 1922.

Politics

The Soviet Union was a one-party state, with the Communist Party as the only legal party. The Politburo was the highest policy-making government authority under the CPSU. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the leader of the party and the head of state.

Economy

The economy of the Soviet Union was based on a system of state ownership of the means of production, collective farming, industrial manufacturing and centralized administrative planning.

Culture

The culture of the Soviet Union passed through several stages during the USSR's 69-year existence. It was characterized by a commitment to the ideology of Marxism-Leninism.

See also

• History of the Soviet Union
• Economy of the Soviet Union
• Culture of the Soviet Union
• Politics of the Soviet Union