Just Finished Reading: Communism – A Very Short Introduction by Leslie Holmes

Being politically from the Left (or, from an American perspective, the Far Left) I have more than a little sympathy with the idea of Communism. Structured in the correct fashion and populated by people dedicated to its ideals it could work and, I think, work rather well. Of course no such society has ever existed. It’s even debatable as to whether such a society could exist (or more likely would be allowed to exist). The author is indeed quite explicit that the states which called (or the few that still call) themselves Communist where nothing of the sort. Marx was quite clear, on this point at least, that although the inevitable outcome of the inherent contradictions of Capitalism the final utopia of Communism cannot be hurried or simply set-up in a single country. This is, of course, exactly what Lenin (and especially Stalin) attempted to do in Russia with disastrous consequences – just as Karl Marx predicted.

Marxism, like Communism, is deeply out of fashion with the distasteful stories which emerged out of the old Soviet Union forever tarnishing their ideas and aspirations. With the recent economic turmoil, however, it would appear that the pragmatic Chinese solution of missing the best of both worlds – Communism and Capitalism – seems to be working better than anyone could have expected. Maybe Marx was right and Stalin just far too impatient? After all Marx thought that a period of Socialism needed to precede Communism, before the entire state apparatus finally faded away, and maybe China is doing exactly that? It’s intriguing to wonder exactly what Karl would make of it all.

As I have come to expect from this excellent series of books this was an informative and thought provoking read. Not only did I learn quite a bit of the historical nature of Communism throughout the world but also a great deal about its political, economic and social structures – all without a single yawn! This is a definite book to recommend to my more Progressive American readers who might be a bit afraid of challenging those ignorant idiots who persist in labelling President Obama as a Socialist or (worse in their minds) a Communist. This book will definitely give you the ammunition to rip them a new one! Highly recommended for those who have heard the propaganda and want a more balanced view of an ideology that, for a time, ruled half the world and seemingly threatened the other half so much.