The prompts are broad so as to allow you to focus as you see fit. All topics cover the period 1917-1991 though some reference to the periods before and after are to be expected.
1. Consider the proposition that the USSR was a unique state formation and a departure from the paths of development to be seen in the rest of Europe. Your answer should encompass at least: economic models, culture, and political ordering.

2. Explain how the USSR reconciled its impulses to forge unity and recognize diversity. In your essay, consider at least the following optics: gender; class; nationality.

3. Why and to what extent was the USSR a model for revolutions in other countries, and how did the USSR induce capitalism to reform itself?