This popular, concise and highly readable study discusses the key themes and debates about the Russian Revolution. Robert Service's lively analysis examines: - state and society under the Romanovs from 1900 - The February and October Revolutions of 1917 - The final years of the Romanov dynasty and the start of the Soviet order - Comparisons with political, social and economic trends elsewhere in the world - The extent to which the later development of the USSR was conditioned by the October Revolution Clear and incisive, the fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated in the light of the latest research and features a new scene-setting Introduction and maps. Service's text remains the essential starting point for anyone studying this tumultuous period in the history of Russia and the world in the twentieth century.