Political Will and Personal Belief: The Decline and Fall of Soviet Communism

In this unique analysis of the unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, sociologist Paul Hollander focuses on the human aspects of the country`s demise. Drawing on autobiographical writings and interviews with members of the political elite, the author shows how leaders who experienced a loss of faith in their ideals and an eroding sense of legitimacy fatally undermined the political system they had once upheld.