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Comrades

The Rise and Fall of World Communism

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Today, global communism appears as a grim historical memory, comparable to the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust. Just over a decade ago, authoritarian leaders maintained "workers' paradises," while millions suffered under a system that enforced mind control and brutal repression in the name of "progress." The world once faced the threat of revolutionary movements, bolstered by military power and the specter of nuclear war. In the 1970s, the fall of South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos suggested the unstoppable spread of Marxism-Leninism. Yet, less than twenty years later, this experiment collapsed, leaving approximately 100 million dead and widespread economic ruin. Even China has shifted towards free-market principles, with communism now lingering only in a few isolated regions. This narrative history explores the reasons behind communism's rise in countries transitioning from feudalism or colonialism to modernity, rather than in developed nations as Marx predicted. It questions whether coercion and state planning were the only viable paths for these nations. The book also delves into communism's appeal, even among astute Western observers, and examines its rapid growth and sudden decline. Robert Harvey presents a sweeping account of human idealism, cruelty, suffering, and courage, offering a compelling analysis of this complex phenomenon.

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Comrades, Robert Harvey

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Année de publication
2003
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(rigide),
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Bon
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4,79 €

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Titre
Comrades
Sous-titre
The Rise and Fall of World Communism
Langue
Anglais
Éditeur
John Murray
Publié
2003
Format
rigide
Pages
422
ISBN10
0719561477
ISBN13
9780719561474
Séries
Description
Today, global communism appears as a grim historical memory, comparable to the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust. Just over a decade ago, authoritarian leaders maintained "workers' paradises," while millions suffered under a system that enforced mind control and brutal repression in the name of "progress." The world once faced the threat of revolutionary movements, bolstered by military power and the specter of nuclear war. In the 1970s, the fall of South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos suggested the unstoppable spread of Marxism-Leninism. Yet, less than twenty years later, this experiment collapsed, leaving approximately 100 million dead and widespread economic ruin. Even China has shifted towards free-market principles, with communism now lingering only in a few isolated regions. This narrative history explores the reasons behind communism's rise in countries transitioning from feudalism or colonialism to modernity, rather than in developed nations as Marx predicted. It questions whether coercion and state planning were the only viable paths for these nations. The book also delves into communism's appeal, even among astute Western observers, and examines its rapid growth and sudden decline. Robert Harvey presents a sweeping account of human idealism, cruelty, suffering, and courage, offering a compelling analysis of this complex phenomenon.