Is Communism Inherently Toxic?

[rocala]

I take it you think of foreign interests as a significant factor? I have to question that. Russia was very divided at the time, even more than other countries.

I agree that the former Russian Empire was very divided however I do think that the foreign element was significant. Many countries sent troops to support the anti-bolsheviks including the U.K. USA and Japan. There was of course other assistance. The wikipedia article 'Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War may offer some useful information.

It is forty years since I studied the subject but I recall the writings of Tony Cliff as being influential.

 

[rocala]

May you elaborate?

I think a 'Left' Spain would have caused Hitler to do an entire rethink about France unless he decided to go straight through to Gibralter. Not unsimilar to Napoleon and look what happened there.
Ref the German CP we have to look at the big picture and it shows that Stalinism was not interested in revolution (please see George Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia' for an excellent exposure). At the time I was studying this subject back in the 1970's there were in the UK, still a lot of old members of the Left opposition. One, I think it was Gerry Healey, asked at a Communist Party of Great Britain meeting, during the Spanish Civil War, why Soviet Ships were trading in the ports of fascist Italy. He was expelled from the party.

Until the German invasion of the USSR IN 1941 the CPGB offered zero support for the British war effort despite the vast number of deaths and imprisonment suffered by their comrades in those countries within the fascist/nazi sphere of influence.

 

[Jumi]

Well, Gorbachev was a liberal and inevitably lead the USSR to an end.

The downfall started way before Gorbachev. He had to deal with predecessors messes and an ideology that rejected reality of the circumstances. Despite his sometimes suboptimal choices he had a very good knowledge of the situation.