Description
If now in decline since the tumultuous events of 1989, communism was without doubt the great political movement of the twentieth centuryat its peak, more than a third of the worlds population lived under communist ruleand it is still a powerful force in many areas of the world, most notably in the Peoples Republic of China. What is communism? Where did the idea come from and what attracted people to it? Is there a future for communism? This Very Short Introduction considers these questions and more in the search to explore and understand this controversial political force. Explaining the theory behind its ideology, and examining the history and mindset behind its political, economic and social structures, Leslie Holmes considers the evolution of communism from Marxs time, to its practice in the Bolshevik Revolution, to its collapse in 1989-91. Holmes highlights the inner dynamics, crises, and demise of communism as a global system, and introduces the major players in the communist world, including Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of lifes most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
Author: Leslie Holmes
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 09/21/2009
Series: Very Short Introductions
Pages: 144
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.40w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780199551545
Language: English
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.