A comparison between the tsarist economy on the eve of the revolution and the Soviet economy in the mid-1920s. Questions posed include, was the tsarist economy successful, but destroyed by World War I? And was the breakdown of the mixed economy of the 1920s an arbitary political act?

Part 1 From tsarism to NEP, R.W.Davies: quantitative comparison by sectors; the economic structures; the processes of industrialization compared; two systems in crisis - tsarism, NEP. Part 2 The social background: the social context, Maureen Perrie and R.W.Davies; the socio-economic differentiation of the peasantry, Stephan Merl; unemployment, J.C.Shapiro. Part 3 Agriculture and the economy: agriculture, S.G.Wheatcroft; the peasantry and industrialization, Mark Harrison. Part 4 Industry and the economy: the industrial economy, Peter Gatrell and R.W.Davies; the textile industry, Christopher Ward. Part 5 Other sectors: the railways, J.N.Westwood et al; research and technology, J.M.Cooper and R.A.Lewis; foreign trade, M.R.Dohan. Part 6 The national income, Paul R.Gregory.