Soviet Socialism (1987) is based on the author’s specialized knowledge of many aspects of Soviet politics, including local government, the Communist Party and the Soviet intelligentsia. Written originally after the death of Brezhnev, in the Andropov-Chernenko interregnum, the essays were revised to take account of the accession to power of Mikhail Gorbachev, and they cover a selection of interrelated themes drawn from Soviet politics and society. The detached view the author takes of the Soviet state presents a new and stimulating approach to Soviet studies.