Customer Reviews

Comrades!: A History of World Communism

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A solid summary and synthesis of a vast amount of material. Service writes with sympathy to all sides, but from an essentially Western perspective that can seem distant from events on the ground in the countries he describes. Often the author spends too much time reciting facts that are almost common knowledge (the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall) and not enough time on the interpretation of the causes of events. Still, a worthwhile read overall.

It is notoriously difficult to get a neutral view of communism. Read any review of Das Kapital or The Communist Manifesto and you will frequently find them either slavishly in awe or militantly against.

Although some reviewers say this book in anti-Communist, I sincerely believe that it is one of the best and most balanced scholarly (see appendix) accounts of Communism I've read. Furthermore, it contains valuable insights into the merits and flaws of the theory through to how different leaders put them into practice.

As the most prominent example of the fairness of this book there is the final chapter. I was struck by how little Service sought to dance on the grave of communism, instead mentioning how there continue to be successful communist movements in Kerala (India) and pseudo-communism in the hills of Mexico.
Also for balance, Service goes through the various crimes of capitalism too and the overwhelming impression I got was that, despite the tyrannical excesses of Communism, there is still potential there and unfulfilled ends to accomplish.

Aside from issues of fairness, I found the book a compelling read; the type of book you read in a week and skip TV to read more of.
In addition his portrayals of leaders such as Castro, Tito and Mao are vivid and his judgements are sound. Crucially it gives you a good feeling of what Stalin's Russia or Mao's China was like and, unlike other books on the subject, doesn't dwell too much on issues of Good/Evil, Gulags, etc.

So, if you want an interesting read, then this book takes some beating and, for $10 a copy, you get a 500 page tome that, at least, makes good shelf-filler.
However, for those that disagree, there is another history of Communism taken much more from a socialist perspective. Heaven On Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism (or at least the film adaptation) is equally as good as this, with much greater emphasis on socialism as a whole (e.g. Israeli Kibbutzes). On the DVD version I saw, Christopher Hitchens (maverick socialist) even provides some commentary so, if you found this book to be anti-communist, then give that a go instead...

It is welcome news, or should be, to have an overall treatment of Communism from a major scholar. But Professor Service's work is superficial and riddled with errors.

I enjoyed Professor Service's taking-down of the likes of Beatrice and Sidney Webb, and other fellow-travellers. In retrospect, and not only in retrospect, these cultured products of the West were more harmful to liberty than regiments of Soviet troops. But even when Professor Service is so obviously right, he goes wrong. "What inspired [the Webbs] to speak for Stalin ? .... They believed in central and state planning...." (P. 207) If only things were that simple !

I assume that the author's treatment of the Soviet Union is competent, but this cannot be said of what he has to say of the Communist parties in Western Europe and America. A seemingly small error is indicative of much that went wrong with this book.

Speaking of the famous African-American baritone Paul Robeson, Professor Service tells us (p. 278), without benefit of footnotes of any kind: "He never joined the Communist Party of the USA. (Not that this saved him from investigation by Joe McCarthy.)"

The first thing that is curious here is that Professor Service gives a nod to those -- unlike himself -- who think that the late Senator McCarthy was a far greater threat to humanity than the late Joseph Stalin. Coming from a staunch anti-Communist like Professor Service, this is a false note.

But what about the substance of the claim that Robeson never was a Party member ? How does Professor Service know that this is so ? True, Robeson always claimed, throughout his life, that he was not a member. But those who know about the American CP -- this is the main point -- also know that there always were secret members in addition to the open ones. Robeson's unfailing support of every twist of the Party line, including his support of the Stalin-Hitler pact, always led to the strong suspicion, among those who understood the Party, that he most probably was under Party discipline, i.e. that he was a member. If Professor Service has no such suspicion, I would say that he knows little about American communism.

Of course, in the case of Robeson, we can go beyond suspicion. We have evidence, from the very mouth of one of the horses, that he was a Party member: "My own most precious moments with Paul were when I met with him to accept his dues and renew his yearly membership in the CPUSA. I and other Communist leaders like Henry Winston, the Party's late, beloved national chair, met with Paul to brief him on politics and Party policies and to discuss his work and struggles." Gus Hall, "Paul Robeson: An American Communist," published by CPUSA, 1988.

The Robeson matter by itself is a detail. But Professor Service's complete misunderstanding of the political alignments of the 1930's is more than a detail: "But undoubtedly it was the socialists in Europe and North America who bowed lowest in their admiration of Stalin."(p. 212). And this goes with Professor Service's ignoring of the profound anti-Stalinism of the Weimar-era SPD in Germany, of the inter-war SFIO of France (think Leon Blum !), of the anti-Bolshevism of British Labour, of the anti-Communist struggles of the CCF in Canada and the Socialist Party of the US (think Norman Thomas !).

A reader looking for further reading about, say, the French or German Communist parties will find no help at all in Professor Service's sparse footnotes. Take the rich historiography on the French CP. It seems that Professor Service is completely innocent of any knowledge here. The important "Histoire" by Courteois and Lazar is not on the bibliography. There is no title by Annie Kriegel. There is no mention of Robrieux. And, as far as Professor Service is concerned, the German scholars who spent so many years studying the KPD (Ossip Flechtheim, Hermann Weber, etc.) might as well have saved their trouble.

In short, no, this book is simply not good enough.

Robert Service writes well, and tackles an immense subject such as communism in such a way as to be very readable.

Service manages to find a balance between distance from his subject, and hence some objectivity, and a fair amount of editorialising, which stops the book being to dry and analytical.

Something he revisits a few times however, is the supposed influence of early Christianity on Marx & Engels - Service really seems to stretch the comparisons between the two as far as he can. This is a canard I've seen trotted out before - despite the fact that communism is an expressly atheistic doctrine.

Robert Service, well-known conservative historian of Russia, has undertaken a difficult task in attempting to write a concise and accessible history of Communism as a political reality. In "Comrades", he has succeeded remarkably well. The most important issue in any such history is of course that of the author's own political viewpoint, and this can easily lead the undertaking off the tracks by excessive zeal one way or another (I am myself a convinced Communist, which must be taken into account in this review). Service, as a conservative Briton working at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University (itself a well-known right-wing think tank), cannot be accused of having any sympathy with Communism whatsoever, and he makes this clear enough throughout the book. Not just is the general interpretation severely negative with regard to the Communist experience, and his commentary implying that it was dangerous lunacy to even attempt it anywhere in the first place, but he also regularly uses fairly strong hostile language about it, such as the repeated comparisons of Communism with an "infection" and a "virus" and so forth.

Nonetheless, it must be said that Service has done a surprisingly good job of sticking to the facts and trying to be as even-handed as he can probably muster. The most important thing here is that he is not guilty of the historiographical crime of omission, in only depicting negative or dubious episodes in Communist history, like the old Cold War school used to do, but he actually also spends time detailing improvements, valid arguments and realistic motives on the part of Communist parties and leaders. This is not to say that Service is ever convinced by them, and he makes this clear enough, but the fact that he did so greatly improves the utility of the book.

What's more, despite it being a hard task to summarize Communism in just a few hundred pages without unbalancing the story or leaving out essential elements, Service has done this as well as anyone could demand. Although the focus is still heavily on the USSR and to a lesser extent China, as one could expect, there is plenty of attention also to the Communists in Western Europe, in Latin America, in other Asian countries and even in Africa. There are two chapters dealing with Cuba, and the Warsaw Pact nations are described at length. Service's background to the history in the form of his analyses of Marx&Engels and Lenin are reasonable, and he takes care to distinguish where applicable between the general viewpoints of Marx & Engels, Lenin and Stalin respectively, as well as between Stalin and Mao and their successors.

That said, not all is well. Service relies far too much on dubious and explicitly right-wing sources, some of them wholly unreliable or false (Chang & Halliday, Li Shizui, Conquest) or seriously slanted (Gaddis, Courtois etc.), while modern 'left' sources such as Fitzpatrick, Khlevniuk, Lewin and Meisner get short shrift relatively. Although he makes few real errors, there are still some discredited stories included, and especially near the end of the book his anti-Communism gets the better of him sometimes. Service also has little understanding of economics or the policy questions involved, and often just parrots Hoover Institution type viewpoints with little comprehension; he seems besides to have concluded a priori that even social-democratic policy necessarily leads to crisis and failure, despite at the same time insisting that the social-democratic road is supposedly the only way to achieve reforms as opposed to Communism. One wonders then if the people in the developing world are supposed to overthrow their elites by means of conservatism, according to the lights of Robert Service? Has liberalism or conservatism ever achieved this since 1848? Those sorts of greater questions of political and historical significance are too easily ignored, which makes Communism appear more as a stubborn aberration than it is.

Being a sympathizer with Communism in general, whether Leninist or otherwise, I can't say that reading Service's book is easy or entirely free of frustration. Nonetheless, if one takes into account what the world must look like from his point of view, Service has done a remarkably decent job in writing a history of what are essentially his enemies. Moreover, it can't hurt at all for Communists to read a history that acknowledges the same facts, as is necessary for any dialogue on the topic, but interprets them negatively where we would interpret them positively or hopefully: this can help enormously with keeping perspective, strengthening the arguments in defense, and recognizing past errors. For that reason and for its well-structured and concise writing, Service's book is useful reading, even if by no means the last word on the subject.

Service has done an excellent job compressing a major topic - the rise and fall of communism - into a single volume. This makes a good starting off point for anyone who wants to learn about the subject. The books is divided up into manageable chapters based largely on geography, making it an easy go to reference for communism in a number of countries. Would-be revolutionaries should be advised that Service harshly judges not just the Soviet Union, but world Communism (and to a lesser degree its variants of socialism). Overall, an excellent and well researched history.

I checked out this book from my local library, because I always wanted to learn the history of Communism. I found it to be an exhaustive and in-depth history of Communism and its influence on the world. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn how such an evil ideology influenced the world for some seventy years.

Robert Service is one of the best historians of communism, and this book shows why. Very well written, solidly researched and tremendously informative for Social Science students.

If you are hoping for an insightful look at the history of communism you will be disappointed. This is the standard neocon version.

As such, it is difficult to see what purpose it serves. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone on the right because it is old hat communism-bad, free-market-good, end-of-history stuff. Nothing that hasn't been said before and it doesn't really provide any new or useful analysis for that audience to grab hold of.

For those of us on the left it doesn't qualify as a history at all, just more conservative think-tank sputum presenting its world view as a priori truth. The temptation is to take the author to task on his assumptions, ommissions, and misrepresentations; but this isn't really the forum for that. I suppose if the book has any use at all it is as a summation of a particular point of view on the subject.

In sum, a completely biased look at communist history that doesn't bring anything new to the table. If you are on the right it isn't worth diverting your attention from the new bogey-man of "terrorism". If you are on the left, it is a re-hashing of the same old propaganda.

Another book of false ideology. It's sad that so many people nowadays try to change this nation into communist or socialism ( same role, just different name) not really knowing the truth, just based on some political ideology that human history had repeatedly proved to be failed. In fact communism is the worst political system that ever presented on earth. Because of its brutality, I escaped from that regime. And I am happy to be in this country where human freedom is mostly respected, and protected. Communist lies saying every one shares equally: In fact only, those few comrades who caused the shift of power enjoy the wealth and power, but the rest of the general citizens have no equality nor basic human right. Any one speak against government---disappear next day to "concentration camp" w/o fair trials nor justice. Communist shut down all religious freedom, or freedom of speech ( all medias are government controlled) Communists deny any form of gods but instead, they set the status of Stalin or Ma chiding, or Kimjung ill, and have to sing songs and salute for them, worship them. From elementary children to elders... Anyone dares to go against the government, ---labor camp! Several millions who stand for their freedom were killed brutally in early 20th century, during the communism overturn.1989, Tinamen square, a million chines college students marched to protest against their communist government of oppression: it was broadcasted all over the world, they were asking communist government to give them ;freedom for speech, media, business, religion, true-democracy( not like few communist party people controlling) by election. Sooner the communist government sent them tanks and guns and indiscriminately shoot them and ran over with tank. Whole world watched through television broadcast. There is no "equal Justice" like the communist ideologist deceives people. Only "Elite Party Comrades" have the privileges of special health care, food market for themselves only, supply stores for them only, but the rest of the citizens live in dirt poor situation deprived from basic human rights. It's just a power shift from have to have not. Maybe somebody to arrange some "exchange living tourism" between these communist countries and America, Send those "Deceived communism lovers" to live in those communist countries for a year or two years by themselves without any privileges as American, but just as like their citizen, then maybe all these communism, socialism, totalitarian movement in American will learn the true lessons of the reality, and waken up. Also, reading the books by real defects form those communist countries will give real ideas, not just full of bologna, lying ideology (theory) books
Now some ignorant Americans already forgot about this just 20 years ago's brutality that we watched with our own eyes, want to change this great nation into communist?
Please study the real history. I mean the "real history" not just that stupid "ideology of communist". In a word, if you study the true history, communist repeatedly failed last 150 years.
and it's the most evil regime in the history. Why?: Stalin communist government killed 90 millions including the vicinity nations that were turn into communism, Macho-tong communist killed 100 millions, 2 millions by North Korea, by Cambodia each, 2 millions in Africa, 200,000 latin America..so on . But most of all they all became terribly poor after communist regime,oppressing the free capitalism, except China, because they started to adapt the partial capitalism from 10 years ago after they realized the harsh economic state. Now history tells also other evil regime; Hitler killed 6 million jew with other 4 million of Europeans; Japan' imperialism killed 20 million Asians during WWII, ..so on.
When communism and socialism oppress people's creativity and force them to work for "common Good", the productivity drops automatically. Why? men were not made to work for Common good. Maybe some aliens from different planet or maybe Jesus will do for common good. But not men's nature. That's why communism make every one poorer and poorer from their establishments throughout the history. When men get prosperous by working w their hards, with their creativity, they eventually help others if they are normal. because normal people appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace. But if the much power goes to God-hating communist, socialists or totalitarianistic government, you will see the corruption everywhere in their regime, instead of trying to help others or common good. Because they basically don't know, or appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace for all, they will fully manifest their selfishness and brutality filling only their throats. Why? that's the human nature w/o god. Human nature could be most brutal and selfish if they don't learn the true love from the creator as history repeatedly teach us.

Men can't govern themselves.They are naturally selfish, greedy and evil w/o god. If any political party, government have too much power, they will certainly hurt others unless they truly know jesus who always teach love and peace. That's why our America's constitution is truly great, because it was written by the God's fairness and wisdom protecting basic human rights that is originally from God , over any political unbalance. I realized only those who hate God fall into these"denying the constitution, or "let's change it "theory saying they are too old or whatever nonsense. Too old constitution? Then why the whole world always look upon America when it comes, most well practiced freedom and human right? Please have reasons.

If USA turned into communism, the power will shift to only those who hate the existing American system. They secretly controlling medias ( I already see it happened ) and brainwashing the youth with distorted facts in textbooks last 20 years. They keep change their names, their activity, and theory. Why? if they openly speak up, they know they will fail because any normal mind people will see the deception and its perversion. Look at these behind scenes of the head members. They are not normal mind, full of hatred, and causing always divisions, manipulations. Sadly this government & Geroge Soro' socialic, communistic, riots causing union leaders, hired many "paid bloggers from 4 years ago intensively promoting public hatreds & division. Real sad thing is most American publics are so ignorant, not knowing the behind scenes, get brain wash step by step through facebook, twitters, googles' net traffic.
Many good people's web site had been already blocked from public access from 2010.Do u know who r the major donors to all the ivy league schools in America? Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists sponsoring extremists. We pour our oil money into these middle eastern countries, these islamic extremists trains terrorists w our money, sending back to USA to brain wash college kids, funding mosques, from 1960' pouring into American textbook committees to distort our history, fanning the Anti-america propaganda w socialists, communism movement
together to destroy this great nation, but Americans are sleeping. While these trillion's forein oil money are eating up our nation, last prolong Democratic congress, government prohibit our own oil production saying "environmental protection". no wonder our debt is no more controllable. To any nation to be strong, they have to have their own supply of power sources. Get it? Can't go on with debts, especially to middle east. Though we fully develop all forms of green energy,it is still less than 50% of our energy sources. Before polar bears or dolphins, we are getting total broke, can't even protect them from international slaughters. Please think people & wake up from those hired bloggers & medias who were own by few extreme liberal bosses.

Collect the real historic facts, separate from the author's propaganda. Lineup the real facts, then you will see the history more accurately. Always develop the "reasoning power" of your own this way, not swayed by many false propagandas in most books, medias out there. If you don't have your own reasoning power, you will be always vulnerable and get deceived.
Interestingly always angry, poor people seem becoming the front line of deceived victims of these evil ideology. So instead, ask God to enlighten your heart to live with love and peace& goodness with others and ask your personal blessing instead of trying to destroy others who seems have.

If you believe somebody or some classes hurt your people, look at this. Bible says: forgive your enemy, don't live with your past: Don't covet your neighbors: work diligently on your own hands so you don't steal, become a burden to others. And lastly, love your neighbors as yourself. Then you will live in the true blessing of God, the creator.Robbing others' or violance, riots r not the answers. God wants us to be : good, righteous, & truthful. Those citizens of china and all the other communist countries, including north koreaa, who are brutally oppressed in the middle Eastern Islam tyrannies still wants their human freedom with the destruction of the oppressing totalitarianistic regime still today. So why move to backward of mistakes people?