What is Communism?

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32554, 13 March 1971, Page 16

What is Communism?

Sir, —As an outstanding example of mixed-up thinking “Scrutineer’s" letter would be hard to surpass. If, as he implies, he wishes only “to combat social and economic injustice, privilege, tyranny, corruption and racism” it is incredible he should so vilify Michael Davis’s booklet and its excellent review in “The Press.” Forced labour, the position of Communist Party bosses in Russia and China, the extermination of' Kulaks and racial minorities in the U.S.S.R. and the present persecution there of Jews would respectively be exact examples of the evils to which “Scrutineer” refers; but where are they to be found in New Zealand? To return, however, to the theme of my original letter, I would also like to suggest that “Scrutineer” ponder deeply on the significance of the present student subversion trials in Czechoslovakia.—Yours, etc., 2211. March 12, 1971. Sir, ; —The booklet written by Michael Davis about communism is very valuable. Communism is dangerous especially for the workers because their conditions under the communist system are much worse than in the free world. When communism comes to power the system cannot be changed. Instead of producing more products for their workers, the communist leaders spend a lot of money, through their agents in the free world, on propaganda about their . development.—Yours, etc., J.M.D. March 12, 1971.

Sir, —It is true that I have, not read Michael Davis’s booklet, but who needs two sniffs of a rotten fish? If he is correctly quoted in “2211’5" letter that Communists “demand and exploit the tolerance given to the ordinary citizen by the democracy they are committed to overthrow,” then a major premise of Mr Davis’s booklet is false. I reiterate, that communism is committed to overthrow capitalism, not democracy, in spite of Mr Davis’s ability to give a Communist and a non-Communist meaning to the same word. If Mr Davis is aware of the difference in the real aims of Communists and what he says they are, his booklet is an exercise in deliberate misrepresentation; if he is not aware, he has no business writing on what communism is. Another alternative is that Mr Davis equates democracy and capitalism, in which case his confusion is total.—Yours, etc., M.C.H. March 12, 1971.

[This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.”]