The Wrong Train

Notes on Armenia Since the Counterrevolution

Author: Markar Melkonian

Publication Information

Publisher: Sardarabad Publishing
Publication Date: 2020
ISBN: 978-1-949618-22-8

About The Book

The Wrong Train: Notes on Armenia Since the Counterrevolution is a collection of essays examining the political, economic, and social realities of post-Soviet Armenia. Written over many years, the essays address questions of democracy, labor, nationalism, economic development, and the consequences of neoliberal reform.

Rather than offering a single narrative, the book brings together observations, commentary, and analysis drawn from contemporary Armenian public life. The essays challenge conventional assumptions while exploring how political language, public policy, and economic interests shape everyday realities.

Written for readers interested in Armenia, the post-Soviet world, and contemporary political thought, the collection offers a critical perspective on issues that continue to influence public debate both within Armenia and throughout the diaspora.

Key Themes

  • Post-Soviet Armenia

  • Economic reform and neoliberalism

  • Labor and class politics

  • Democracy and governance

  • National identity

  • Public discourse and political language

Reader Responses

Selected comments highlighted on the book jacket include:

• "What a load of lunatic Marxist crap...from top to bottom."

• "Hit the nail head-on."

• "True, honest, intelligent, and too horrible."

The contrasting reactions reflect the book's willingness to challenge accepted narratives and engage controversial political questions directly.

About the Author

Markar Melkonian is a writer, educator, and commentator whose work focuses on politics, history, philosophy, and social criticism. His publications examine questions of power, democracy, nationalism, labor, and economic development, with particular attention to Armenia and the broader post-Soviet world.

His books include Marxism: A Post-Cold War Primer, Richard Rorty's Politics: Liberalism at the End of the American Century, The Philosophy and Common Sense Reader, and The Philosophy of Death Reader.