Authors
Alex Marshall1; 1 University of Glasgow, UK Discussion
The views and career of M.A. Suslov (1902-1982) is undoubtedly of central importance to the broader history of the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, yet until now he has either been sidelined or demonised. Only three biographies have until now been attempted-one of which, written pre-1991, enjoyed no access to the archives, one by Roy Medvedev, which amounted to a harshly critical demolition of his legacy, and one of which focused largely on his ideological contributions. This paper represents material from the first attempted comprehensive biography of M.A. Suslov spanning his whole career, and focuses in particular on his critical formative experiences, including until now neglected stages of his career - his earliest party roles, as a star of the Komsomol, and as a lecturer in the Institute of Red Professors. 
