A Social History of Soviet Trade

Focusing on the period from the 1917 revolution to Stalin's death in 1953, the study explores the evolution of socialist trade and consumer habits amidst economic crises. It highlights the tension between Soviet leaders' goals of modernizing retail and eliminating private trade, which often clashed with the realities of shortages and a repressive political culture. Julie Hessler examines how these dynamics shaped the development of trade and consumption in the Soviet Union, revealing the complexities of socialist economic policies.