Capitalism for Comrades?

Sir,—In your editorial of "Salient" May 24 you state that Communism as an ideology is dead. I feel however that ideologically it is very much alive as it is now at the forefront of the forces of reaction that have always plagued the world. Like all other human movements, once the idea behind it dies then it atrophies and while it is true that the Marxian conception of a classless society is as dead as the common common room, it has been replaced with the spirit of a ruthless imperialism that gives Communism a life based on greed and exploitation. Ironically, therefore, it nows holds the same appeal as Capitalism but instead of the entrepreneur and financial holding the power it is the leading Party member who is promised the parasitical status of the playboy rich.

A scanty observation of a Communistic society as exemplified in Russia today will show to what depths of reaction the ideology of Communism has sunk; the slave camps to purge society of the progressives; the adulation and hysterical monstrosity of Stalin worship and the smug complacency of the Party bosses who feed the masses on statistics to keep them, if not happy, at least filled with the contentment of the stable. In its degradation of humanity it has become even lower than Fascism which at least seeks the good of the nation whereas Communism now is but the exploitation of humanity for the sake of a clique of greedy men.

A.A.N.