Introduction
For almost 75 years the leaders of the Soviet Union told the world that their Communist system of government was superior to that of all others. In December of 1991, however, the people of the Soviet Union voted their country out of existence. In its place evolved 15 independent countries-including the world's largest state-Russia. Each of these states then set out to determine what political system would best serve them.
Their traditions and histories are ancient; the only difference is they now have the right to govern themselves in their own way. As you study this unit, you will learn about other similarities and differences in the world's political systems. We will focus on four in particular; Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, and the Soviet Union.