COMMUNISM REVIEWED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3446, 22 March 1932, Page 3

COMMUNISM REVIEWED

THEORY, METHOD AND REMEDY. (Dr. J. D. Salmond, in Outlook.) Even in New Zealand the day has passed for a contemptuous dismissal of Communism as the fiery fanaticism of a submerged class in Soviet Russia. We no longer end the matter for ourselves by the crude concept of a "Bolshie" as a bearded humorist employing his time alternatively in red-flag waving and bombthrowing. As yet, however, we have not awakened to the significance of Communism as a world force. Modern Communism is a world force, and is severely logical if tested in the light of the secular knowledge of our day. In its system of thought it embodies both an ideal and a method for achieving this ideal. The ideal is world Communism and the method is world revolution through the Dictatorship of the proletariat.

Communism interprets history from the materialistic standpoint. It disclaims anything in the nature of a Divine Plan fulfilling itself throughout the ages. It holds no brief for the evolutionary view of history, which sees in the universe an unfolding of a cosmis purpose, and ridicules the inevitability of gradual social progress towards some far-distant Utopia. Communism affirms that the production and distribution of goods and services alone determine the character of an epoch. It challenges capitalism on the grounds that its theology is tilted to serve the minority of the people, and it finds modern methods of production unscientific and wasteful, and modern methods of distribution unequal and intolerable.

According to Communist theory the remedy for this state of affairs lies in change by revolutionary development is deemed uncertain and often unduly slow. The cure for all ills lies in the immediate control of social life by a revolutionary dictatorship working o!n behalf of the masses of the people. This dictatorship would dominate and direct the governmental, the educational and the military services of the world during the period of transition from capitalism to Communism. Religion as a dynamic force and necessary element in life finds no place in Communist theory on the grounds that it has been the opiate of the people under capitalistic and Imperialistic regimes. The methods used in achieving the Communist International deserve our attention. Individuals in shop and factory are the unit cells. Cell by cell nuclei are formed. Nuclei joining to nuclei form an ever-spreading web which, by the living vitality of its structure, is able to enmesh and enfold the broad masses of the people. Communism is not democratic in its theory. It claims that in the materialistic auction of life it can outbid social democracy. Professor Laski, of the London School of Economics, has drawn a significant comparison between the | propagandist of Communism and the Jesuits of the Counter-reformatio'n. Laski is under no delusions as to why Communism lies in the weakness of capitalism. Communism points to the world of to-day economically and j spiritually bankrupt. It indicates the slowness of political changes when compared with the technical and social revolutions which have come about during the past 100 years. It claims that it holds within itself the potentialities of political progress adequate to meet the needs of a highly organised industrial civilisation. To-day the Western world is finding itself confronted with rising nations in the East. Western expansion has brought about ever-increas-ing contacts between the Occident and the Orient. Communism sees its opportunity in the failure of the East to find the ideology of the West adequate as a basis for its crystalising thought. Great sections of ( Chinese thought look towards Moscow rather than to London, Paris and New York for light and inspiration. The most severe critic of Communist theory is compelled to admire the care that its advocates are taking to read the signs of the times and to use all opportunities offered for propaganda. The fervent Communist noting how the machinery of government is being rendered ineffective by economic chaos, tries his hardest to aggravate the situation. As an enthusiastic Communist said in my hearing, "I consider it to be my duty to put a monkey-wrench in the wheels of capitalism wherever I can." Any further embarrassment of the present system the Communist regards as another opportunity for hastening on the process of dissolution.

Economic and political dissolution brings about a state of affairs in which a revolutionary class exists in a State. Under such conditions a revolutionary party is brought into being which seeks to lead the everincreasing numbers whose insecurity and suffering cause them to be radical in outlook and ruthless purpose. In the last stage, the emergence of a great leader from the ranks of the masßes matks a favourable moment

for the inevitable class struggle which brings into being a dictatorship of the proletariat, and so the first stage of the revolution has been carried through. This dictatorship sets out to control in the interests of the masses the production and distribution of goods and services and to change the whole ideology of the people so as to ensure the permanence of the new society.

Such a revolution actually occurred in Russia. Lenin knew his Marxist theory, and while in exile had studiously prepared himself to take charge of the dissolution situation which came about in Russia in 1917. The sufferings of the Russian armies in the Great War and their appalling losses (Russian casualties in 1914-15 are estimated by Sir Bernard Pares at 3,500,000); the misery of the landless peasantry and the hunger of the masses in the cities brought about the crisis situation which led to the revolution.

There are two ways of combating Communism; by force and by producing a superior ideal which will win on its own intrinsic merits. The long continued outlawry of Russia would indicate that Europe still believes in the force method. This outlawry has fostered the growth of reactionary States on the borders of Soviet Russia, and in the Soviet Union itself has produced a war mentality which believes that the" rest of Europe is preparing to wage war on the new Communist State. Hence in Europe ta-day we have a state of affairs which could be described as a veritable equilibrium of fears.

Modern materialistic Communism as it is being worked out in Russia is the enemy of much that we consider to be worth while in life. However, when one takes into account the past history of Russia it is not wise to condemn wholesale her great experiment. The self-sacrificing zeal of the Russian Communist, his desire to get rid of artificial class distinctions, and his efforts to give economic security to the common ma'n are quite in line with New Testament Christianity. Russian Communism is a violent reaction against the radical individualism which has reduced Western Europe almost to a state of chaos. The only answer to materialistic Communism is New Testament Christianity. I recall Professor Laski agreeing with a questioner that Christianity was the answer to Communism, and that Christianity should be tried out in all departments of life, but he regretfully went on to confess that he could see little evidence of a sincere and earnest desire to apply on a large scale the basic principles of Christianity to the problems the modern world is facing. Here in New Zealand we ought to profit from the experience of other lands. At present we have on our hands problems which almost baffle solution. Thousands of industrious men are unemployed, hundreds of boys whose eduction has cost the State large sums of money are at a loose end, with very poor prospects, and scores of business men and farmers are financially embarrassed. Living in fear of Communism and imagining that police batons will solve problems will not get us anywhere. Jesus told us to worship God with all our mi'nds and hearts and souls. In economic and political affairs this means thinking concretely about our own problems, working co-operately for the common good, and having the organised will power to tackle the different tasks which confront us. Unless we are willing to sacrifice selfish interests and to use our intelligence in the spirit of co-operation we shall see more scenes of violence on our streets.