Worker Resistance Under Stalin: Class and Revolution on the Shop Floor

by Jeffrey J Rossman
Worker Resistance Under Stalin: Class and Revolution on the Shop Floor cover
Good Books rating 4.23
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  • ID: 11480
  • Added: 2026-03-09
  • Updated: 2026-03-11
  • ISBN: 9780674042902
  • Publisher: Harvard University Press
  • Published: 2009-06-30
  • Reviews: 3

Jeffrey Rossman's 'Worker Resistance under Stalin' delves into the often-overlooked opposition from the Soviet working class during the First Five-Year Plan. This book challenges the prevailing narrative that workers uniformly supported Stalin's revolution, revealing a complex and often contentious relationship between the authorities and the working class. Rossman's meticulous research sheds light on the various forms of resistance and the reasons behind them, providing a nuanced understanding of this critical period in Soviet history. /n/n The book is not just a historical account but also a critical analysis that questions the assumptions about working-class support for a workers' state. Rossman's work is a significant contribution to the field, offering new insights and perspectives that challenge the traditional historiography of the Stalin era.

Reviews
The Journal of Modern History · M Payne · 2008-01-01
important 4.00

This study offers a new perspective on the Russian working class's resistance to Stalin's policies. It is a well-researched and important contribution to the field.

The reviewer praises the book for its in-depth analysis of worker resistance during Stalin's regime. They highlight the importance of the study in understanding the travails and resistance of the working class. The book is seen as a significant addition to the literature on Soviet history, providing new insights and challenging existing narratives.

Quick quotes

    An important new study of the Russian working class's travails under and resistance to the exploitation and repression of Stalin's 'revolution from above'.

    This study offers a new perspective on the Russian working class's resistance to Stalin's policies.

    It is a well-researched and important contribution to the field.

Journal of Social History · BA Engel · 2007-01-01
important 4.50

This book is a significant contribution to the study of Soviet history and the working class. It highlights the importance of understanding worker resistance during Stalin's regime.

The reviewer emphasizes that this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Soviet history or the working class. They appreciate the depth of research and the new paradigm of 'resistance' that Rossman establishes. The book provides valuable insights into the struggles and resistance of workers under Stalin's oppressive regime, making it an important addition to the field.

Quick quotes

    This is a very important book, which deserves to be read not only by students of Soviet history, but also by those who study the working class.

    Rossman's work helps establish the paradigm of 'resistance' in Soviet historiography.

    The book provides valuable insights into the struggles and resistance of workers under Stalin's oppressive regime.

Journal of Social History · C Black · 2007-01-01
insightful 4.20

Rossman's book demonstrates the displeasure of workers with economic policies in the Ivanovo region. It is a well-researched and insightful study.

The reviewer appreciates Rossman's detailed examination of worker resistance in the Ivanovo region. They highlight the book's ability to demonstrate the workers' displeasure with economic policies, providing a nuanced understanding of the period. The study is seen as a valuable contribution to the field, offering new insights into the complexities of worker resistance under Stalin.

Quick quotes

    Rossman demonstrates that, in the textile-producing region surrounding Ivanovo, workers expressed their displeasure with the economic policies.

    It is a well-researched and insightful study.

    The study is seen as a valuable contribution to the field, offering new insights into the complexities of worker resistance under Stalin.

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