Optimist Communist
BBC - The new communists of Calcutta
The people of West Bengal have voted in the Communist Party for the seventh successive time. Humphrey Hawksley has been in the capital, Calcutta meeting the new communists. …
“Stalin,” I said. “Was he a good leader?”
“Yes. Yes. Stalin was strong,” he says, his eyes straight on me.
“And Mao Tse-Tung of China?”
“Yes, Mao. He was good. He fought for communism, too, in the Chinese way.”
“But I thought communism had failed?” I said.
“No. No,” replies Mr Roy. “We will get it right this time.”
What optimism, faith, determination. I’m really quite impressed. A hundred million people dead (give or take) and still he’s willing to give it another shot.
We are in the headquarters of the Communist Party of West Bengal where the meeting room is adorned with portraits of Stalin, Marx, Engels and Lenin.
At least they don’t call themselves “environmentalists” like they do here.
May 29th, 2006 at 2:42 am
“A hundred million people dead (give or take) and still he’s willing to give it another shot.”
I think that’s the most brutal pun you’ve come up with in months, ninme.
May 29th, 2006 at 5:16 am
I missed it. Jeez, I feel my synapses starting to fade….
May 29th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Damn, I missed it too! My genius is so profound even its own mortal eyes cannot see it all!