On the Genesis of Stalinism

In the 1930’s, when it became unwise—even dangerous—for Soviet historians to concern themselves with Russian revolutionary history, the custodianship of this profession passed to a dwindling group of emigres. The greatest representative of the exiled historiography is Boris I. Nicolaevsky —historian, journalist, archivist, and Social Democrat (Menshevik). The extent of Nicolaevsky’s influence and the impact of his research is immense. It is reflected in dozens of Western studies, many of which owe a large part of their achievement to his knowledge and private archives. This volume is a small selection of his writings on Soviet politics, or, more properly, on Stalinism, its rise and departure.

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