Download or read book Russia Commonwealth Independent States written by M. Wesley Shoemaker and published by Stryker Post. This book was released on 2011-08-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The eleven republics which constitute the membership of the Commonwealth of Independent States have much in common, in spite of their many different languages, religions and cultures. All were part of the Russian Empire for at least a century; all were part of the Soviet Union from its inception. Perhaps most important, their economic and political cultures were essentially formed during the communist era as a part of the industrialization that guided the Soviet State in the 74 years of its existence.