The Gulag was an extensive system of prisons, camps, and exile settlements, one of the defining features of the Stalinist Soviet Union, and one of the most atrocious examples of mass detention of the twentieth century. It combined the functions of a typical correctional system with the goal of isolating and punishing alleged enemies of the Soviet regime. It spanned the entire Soviet Union, from central Moscow to the most remote areas of Siberia. From its establishment in 1930 until its dismantling in the mid-1950s, approximately 25 million people passed through the Gulag. Detainees and exiles were forced to work under brutal conditions, and millions perished. Although the majority of detainees and exiles were released after Stalin's death, this did not mark the end of their struggles. Survivors attempted to reintegrate into a Soviet political, social, and economic system that was minimally welcoming. While some former detainees wrote or spoke about their experiences in the years and decades following their release, it was not until the collapse of the Soviet Union that a full reckoning became possible.
The Gulag: A Very Short Introduction examines the Gulag and its legacy based on testimonies from detainees, archival sources, and the latest studies in the humanities and social sciences. It addresses urgent questions such as: what was the Gulag and why was it created? How does it fit into the Soviet social, cultural, and economic system? What experiences did the detainees and exiles, who came from a variety of backgrounds, have? What were their prospects for survival? How did former detainees and exiles try to come to terms with their experiences after release?
This Very Short Introduction focuses on three themes: the close social, cultural, political, and economic relations between the world of the Gulag and the Soviet Union as a whole; the diverse identities of detainees and exiles and how this affected their experiences; and the long-term legacies of the Gulag in the Soviet Union and in the post-Soviet successor states. Ultimately, The Gulag: A Very Short Introduction examines the Gulag as one of the most characteristic institutions of the Stalinist Soviet Union and as an example of how modern states, particularly those with utopian ambitions, have sought to manage their populations through detention and forced labor.
Pages: 168, Dimensions: 11.2x11.2cm
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