The first volume of The Cambridge History of Communism deals with the tumultuous events from 1917 to the Second World War, such as the Russian Revolution and Civil War, the revolutionary turmoil in post-World War I Europe, and the Spanish Civil War. Leading experts analyse the ideological roots of communism, historical personalities such as Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky and the development of the Communist movement on a world scale against this backdrop of conflict that defined the period. It addresses the making of Soviet institutions, economy, and society while also looking at mass violence and relations between the state, workers, and peasants. It introduces crucial communist experiences in Germany, China, and Central Asia. At the same time, it also explores international and transnational communist practices concerning key issues such as gender, subjectivity, generations, intellectuals, nationalism, and the cult of personality.

剑桥共产主义史》第一卷涉及1917年至第二次世界大战期间的动荡事件，如俄国革命和内战、第一次世界大战后欧洲的革命动荡以及西班牙内战。著名专家分析了共产主义的思想根源，列宁、斯大林和托洛茨基等历史人物，以及在这一时期的冲突背景下共产主义运动在世界范围的发展。本书讨论了苏维埃机构、经济和社会的形成，同时还探讨了大规模暴力以及国家、工人和农民之间的关系。它介绍了德国、中国和中亚的关键共产主义经验。同时，它还探讨了有关性别、主体性、世代、知识分子、民族主义和个人崇拜等关键问题的国际和跨国共产主义实践。