In a timely re-examination of the origins of the system which fell apart
so dramatically in 1991, this book deals with the policies of the
Soviets towards the non-Russian nationalities of the former Russian
Empire. Making extensive use of previously unavailable material from the
Soviet archives, Jeremy Smith explores the attempts of the Bolsheviks to
promote the development of minority nationalities in the Soviet context,
through a combination of political, cultural and educational measures,
and looks at the disputes surrounding the creation of the Soviet Union.