The Idea of Communism

Tariq Ali is one of the more clear-headed of our modern Marxist critics, and has often brought a useful international perspective to American political debates. In the 2004 presidential election, for example, he supported John Kerry as a superior alternative to George Bush, and reminded radicals of the practical impact of American foreign policy on global citizens. In this book, The Idea of Communism, Ali offers a personal defense of communism, and tries to distinguish the best parts of its ideology from the real world failures of modern communist regimes.