ia_2010_harry_c

=Evaluation of Sources (250-400 words) Tips]=

Looking at “The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire” by Dmitri Volkogonov.

This source in terms of purpose can be seen as valuable because it clearly shows the positive and negative sides and consequences of Gorbachev and his policies. Volkogonov points out why in his opinion Gorbachev’s policies of perestroika and glasnost fail; due to the “Gorbachev Paradox” [|[1]] which Volkogonov says is that Gorbachev wanted to bring democracy closer but not at the price of ‘Leninist ideologies’. In terms of origin the book was originally published in 1998, roughly six years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The source is valuable because during the years that Gorbachev’s policies were failing Volkogonov was Head of the Institute of Military History at the Ministry of Defence of the Soviet Union. Thus we can be sure that he had a thoroughly informed look at Gorbachev’s policies while he was making them.

However, the origin of the source is also limiting because it focuses thoroughly on Gorbachev himself rather than each individual policy and controversial procedure. The source is far more biographical and therefore lacks objectivity and is limiting because the source does not really focus on how successful his policies were.

Plus Volkogonov was fired from his job in 1991 as director of the Institute of Military History at the Ministry of Defence of the USSR by Mikhail Gorbachev so some of his negative writing may be exaggerated. For example Volkogonov says that "Gorbachev had no plan or grand strategy".[2] ** Looking at “Russia A History” by Gregory Freeze
 * (are you therefore saying it is biographical rather than truly historical, and therefore lacks objectivity and a broad view?)**
 * (give an example of a negative comment he makes)

In terms of purpose this source is valuable because it gives a lot of narrative detail about Gorbachev’s policies. Freeze clearly and consecutively presents each of Gorbachev’s policies in a clear and concise way. The Gorbachev chapter is titled "From Perestroika to a New Order"[3] and is split up with a number of smaller headings. These include, in order, "Gorbachev as General Secretary"[4], "Glasnost"[5], "Reforming the Party"[6], "The Party Crumbles"[7], "The Twenty-Eight Party Congress"[8], "Economic Catastroph"[9], "Relations with the Republics"[10], "The Attempted Coup"[11] and "Post-Soviet Economy"[12] and "Post-Soviet Politics".[13] This book was written in 1997 roughly five years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, by Gregory Freeze. The book’s origin is valuable in that it is written by a western writer who clearly does not dismiss the Socialist way of life but rather Gorbachev’s attempt to combine democracy and Socialism in one.
 * (proof? e.g. what are his chapters?)**
 * (too assertive, not enough proof here - you TELL me he does not dismiss socialism, but you provide no proof that this is genuinely the case - you need some quotes, put them in footnotes to save valuable word count!)**

The origin is also fairly limiting because the world’s perspective on Gorbachev has changed greatly in the last ten years. With a further ten years Freeze could look at the long term effects on Russia after Gorbachev left office.

[|[1]] Dmitri Volkogonov; edited and translated by Harold Shukmam (1998). //The rise and fall of the Soviet empire//. London: HarperCollins (ISBN: 0006388183). [2]Dmitri Volkogonov; edited and translated by Harold Shukmam (1998). //The rise and fall of the Soviet empire//. London: HarperCollins (ISBN: 0006388183). [3] edited by Gregory L. Freeze (1997). //Russia//. Oxford; Oxford University Press (ISBN: 0192158996). [4]ibid. [5]ibid. [6]ibid. [7]ibid. [8]ibid. [9]ibid. [10]ibid. [11]ibid. [12]ibid. [13]ibid.