This book contains unreflected fears and a persistent desire to understand the reasons for the great attractiveness of communist ideas for the European intelligentsia. The book is dedicated to the Soviet regime. The author gives an idea of the ideological postulates that underlay the Soviet state and how these postulates changed over time. Gradually, from page to page, F. Furet creates an image of the Soviet totalitarian state full of tragedy. It represents the view of a person standing on the other side of the Iron Curtain and shows the fragility of the totalitarian regime. The book was translated into 16 languages and caused a sensation in France: more than one hundred thousand copies were sold. It was published in Russian after the death of the author, in 1998. CONTENTS: From the editor 7 Preface 11 Chapter I. Revolutionary passion 17 Chapter II. First World War 51Chapter III. The General Charm of October 81Chapter IV. Believers and Disillusioned 121Chapter V. Socialism in One Country 153Chapter VI. Communism and fascism 185Chapter VII. Communism and anti-fascism 235Chapter VIII. Anti-fascist culture 295Chapter IX. World War II 351Chapter X. Stalinism, the highest stage of communism 401Chapter XI. Communism during the Cold War 439Chapter XII. The beginning of the end 487Epilogue 532