Who lost Russia? In The Future is History, acclaimed author Masha Gessen dove into the heart of the Soviet Union and came up with the root causes of Russia's trajectory in the decades after communism. In a twist of political fate, these insights positioned her to become one of the foremost cultural critics of the Trump era, and of populist, authoritarian regimes around the world. This episode of the Tel Aviv Review is made possible by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, which promotes peace, freedom, and justice through political education.