East and West

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 20

East and West

Sir,—M. Creel has always championed the communist cause, but he went too far with his comment on January 30 on free speech. Perhaps he would care to comment on what my chances are of getting a letter criticising communism published in the Soviet press. — Yours, etc.,

TOM LEIGHS. January 30, 1987.

Sir,—M. Creel advises that fascism is “importantly” distinguished from communism, in that fascism “invariably” has a capitalistic economic base (January 30). Equivalent advice would be that strychnine is importantly distinguished from arsenic, in that strychnine invariably has a vegetable base. While “the enemies” of the fascist or communist State are being “liquidated,” “purged,” “re-edu-cated” or whatever, so as to further the interests of the “chosen race” or the “chosen class,” is it then to be “importantly” distinguished that these fascist and communist social programmes, “invariably” have different economic bases? “Importantly” distinguished by whom? Although the visionary communist analysis of history in terms of “class struggles” distinguishes it from the visionary fascist analysis of history in terms of “race struggles,” both visions are more importantly identified as reactionary, atavistic expressions of tribal mythology.—Yours, etc.,

DAVID SHANKS. February 2, 1987.