The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism

The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism, first published in 1920, is Bertrand Russell's critique of the Communist system he witnessed in the Soviet Union. Russell, a proponent of Communist ideals, believed that the future happiness of humanity depended upon restructuring the way production and business was run. The Bolsheviks, however, pursued their goals with an iron fist rather than with a free and idealistic hope that nurtured the individual. Russell was also staunchly opposed to the way that Bolshevism saw itself as a religion, with practices and beliefs that could brook no doubt. This, he determined, was no better than the Catholic Church, which he opposed. Anyone with an interest in Communism and the Soviet Union will find this a deeply thoughtful book. British philosopher and mathematician BERTRAND ARTHUR WILLIAM RUSSELL (1872-1970) won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Among his many works are Why I Am Not a Christian (1927), Power: A New Social Analysis (1938), and My Philosophical Development (1959).