Communism

Communism is a concise introduction to one of the most important and influential movements of the 20th century.It  explores the history of communism: how it emerged, why it rose to become one of the most influential political movements of the twentieth century and the reasons for its decline and fall.

In this new volume in the Seminar Studies series, Professor Mark Sandle shows how the modern conception of communism emerged out of radical millenarian movements in the Middle Ages and the English Civil War, becoming a mass movement of industrial society that sought to overturn capitalism and replace it with a society founded on equality, justice, harmony and co-operation. He goes on to trace the growth of modern communism from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to the peak of its global power at the end of the Second World War.

This comprehensive new history investigates:

         how communism operated in practice

         the reasons for the ultimate failure of communism both as political ideology and as political movement.

         how far the failings of communism has been used to conceal the failings of capitalism.

This book covers communism across time and across continents and contains a selection of key documents, maps and images. It is ideal for courses in both history and politics, and for anyone wishing to learn more about a movement which is central to our understanding of the 20th century world.

Mark Sandle is Professor of History at the Kings University College, in Edmonton, Alberta. He previously worked in the UK. He has published and written widely on Russian and Soviet history including Gorbachev (2008) and A Short History of Soviet Socialism (1999).