The Russian Revolution: A New History (2017) By Sean McMeekin
While outlets like The Times (UK) and The Christian Science Monitor have lauded it as a "superb" and "indispensable" revisionist study, critics from the left have dismissed it as "anti-communist propaganda". Some historians have also pointed out that McMeekin’s focus on high politics and military history sometimes comes at the expense of a deeper philosophical analysis of Marxist thought. Why Read It Today?
Timed for the centenary of the revolution, McMeekin’s work serves as a timely reminder of the fragility of liberal orders. He concludes by warning of a "resurgence of Marxist-style philosophy" in modern politics, suggesting that the lessons of 1917—where populist tyrants can succeed through rapid social change and alienation—are more relevant than ever. Go to product viewer dialog for this item.
The book shifts the focus from abstract social forces to individual decisions. McMeekin argues that the "hapless" Nicholas II, the "overwhelmed" Alexander Kerensky, and the single-minded Lenin each made choices that decisively shaped the outcome. A Polemical and Fast-Paced Narrative