You're right that plenty in the West did condemn communism, but it wasn't rejected utterly by intellectuals in the West in the same way as fascism. If it had, no U.S. company would do business with the CPP.
As for Russia, if it ever acknowledged the barbarity and atrocity of its communist years, it might also have ended many of the trappi…
You're right that plenty in the West did condemn communism, but it wasn't rejected utterly by intellectuals in the West in the same way as fascism. If it had, no U.S. company would do business with the CPP.
As for Russia, if it ever acknowledged the barbarity and atrocity of its communist years, it might also have ended many of the trappings of the old regime -- like corruption, propaganda, and the collective lies that have allowed Putin & cronies to thrive.
I certainly agree that in the '30's through the '40's there was admiration for the Soviet Union from many of America's academic elite, quite prevalent before its atrocities came to light. Its ideology was attractive, as was the Republicans in Spain at the advent of their civil war with Franco. In my opinion, the dichotomy between fascism and communism, at least in American eyes, started in Spain in 1936.
Your last paragraph is right on. Of course, we can never expect Putin to acknowledge anything that might tarnish Russia (I'm not sure Yeltsin did either), either from the past or recognition of the blatant corruption of the present. He will only double down.
You're right that plenty in the West did condemn communism, but it wasn't rejected utterly by intellectuals in the West in the same way as fascism. If it had, no U.S. company would do business with the CPP.
As for Russia, if it ever acknowledged the barbarity and atrocity of its communist years, it might also have ended many of the trappings of the old regime -- like corruption, propaganda, and the collective lies that have allowed Putin & cronies to thrive.
I certainly agree that in the '30's through the '40's there was admiration for the Soviet Union from many of America's academic elite, quite prevalent before its atrocities came to light. Its ideology was attractive, as was the Republicans in Spain at the advent of their civil war with Franco. In my opinion, the dichotomy between fascism and communism, at least in American eyes, started in Spain in 1936.
Your last paragraph is right on. Of course, we can never expect Putin to acknowledge anything that might tarnish Russia (I'm not sure Yeltsin did either), either from the past or recognition of the blatant corruption of the present. He will only double down.