The soviet union was not the first empire to collapse in the twentieth century but it was the last not a single state formation that called itself an empire at the start of the twentieth century remains in a number of key characteristics our country did not resemble the traditional colonial empire with overseas territories. The author was the acting prime minister of russia in 1992 and was deeply involved in the russian economy in the 1990s an analysis of the soviet collapse based on his personal experience and declassified materials promising lessons for modern russia seemed like a book worth reading. Start by marking collapse of an empire lessons for modern russia as want to read start your review of collapse of an empire lessons for modern russia write a review dec 16 2009 pavel rated it really liked it review of another edition shelves non fiction modern mmm this is clever author of this book first prime minister of free russia died today he was 53 he was . Gaidar begins with an erudite historically wide ranging account of the collapse of many empires ancient and modern and then moves on to a briefer summation of the reasons contemporary authoritarian regimes also perish this is but an impressive prelude to a detailed exposition of why the soviet union failed indeed why at some point it had to fail. In his 2007 book collapse of an empire lessons for modern russia the late russian prime minister and economist yegor gaidar identified key drivers behind the disintegration of the soviet union 25 years ago drawing lessons for the russia of the 2000s i have taken the liberty of trying to discern whether some of these factors may be relevant for todays russia