The Soviet Union – History and Legacies
The Soviet Union was a one-party communist state created in 1922 following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Its governing body, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, was founded by Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, who warily instilled a system of single-party dictatorship in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R). The U.S.S.R. was economically, militarily, and politically powerful, and while it did contribute to some positive changes and global cooperative efforts, it nonetheless had a tarnished legacy that casts a shadow on the U.S.S.R.’s remarkable accomplishments.

The Rise of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union was initially established in 1922 with the treaty of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, though its origins can be traced back to the Russian Revolution of 1917. This revolution involved a series of uprisings and public disturbances against Tsarist Russia, which resulted in the formation of the Soviet Union. The Bolshevik Party, led by Lenin and Stalin, gained control of Russia, and with it the Soviet Union, setting up the first communist state in the world.

The Soviet Union formed several political, military, and economic alliances such as the Warsaw Pact and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. These alliances were primarily aimed at establishing a sense of unity in the East against the capitalist West. The Soviet Union also experienced impressive economic growth following World War II and benefited from an infusion of funds and resources from Western countries, which helped develop industry, agriculture, education and healthcare. Consequently, the Soviet Union achieved national pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Legacies of the Soviet Union
Despite its remarkable economic, military and political accomplishments, the Soviet Union also left behind a legacy of oppressive control and human rights abuses, which taint its overall legacy. Under Stalin’s rule, millions of innocent citizens were arrested, tortured and even executed on false charges and as a form of social control. This mass oppression, combined with its extensive military power, caused an international outcry of ill-will against the Soviet Union.

Additionally, the Soviet Union was largely anti-democratic, undemocratically implemented the disastrous Soviet Economics policies and caused an environmental disaster in the Chernobyl incident. Moreover, its dissolution in 1991 left the former-Soviet states in political and economic turmoil.

Conclusion
The Soviet Union was a pioneering force in the twentieth century, and it played a major role in world politics and international relations. While it did contribute to some positive changes, it also left a legacy of oppressive control and human rights abuses. This tarnishes its overall accomplishments, but still, the Soviet Union remains an important part of world history.