F. Comte's articles that compiled the collection were written in different years. They analyze problems related to two key moments of Soviet history - the post-revolutionary period and the reign of M. Gorbachev. These works combine three important factors: first, the thematic community - the Soviet Union as a special system in the context of international relations | secondly, the unity of methodology - a conceptual approach to history, the possibilities of which are expanded when combined with an "anthropological approach" | and finally, thirdly, targeted efforts to update the circle of sources (by referring to archival materials as often as possible).The book is addressed to historians, teachers and anyone who is interested in new approaches to the study of the Soviet past. p>