Communism, like any other revealed religion, is largely made up of prophecies.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
One strength of the communist system of the East is that it has some of the character of a religion and inspires the emotions of a religion.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Communists are people who fancied that they had an unhappy childhood.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
In the end we beat them with Levi 501 jeans. Seventy-two years of Communist indoctrination and propaganda was drowned out by a three-ounce Sony Walkman. A huge totalitarian system has been brought to its knees because nobody wants to wear Bulgarian shoes. Now they’re lunch, and we’re number one on the planet.
—P. J. O’Rourke (1947–2022) American Journalist, Political Satirist
We are persons of quality, I assure you, and women of fashion, and come to see and to be seen.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
A successful social technique consists perhaps in finding unobjectionable means for individual self-assertion.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
To the believer Marxism presents, first, a system of ultimate ends that embody the meaning of life and are absolute standards by which to judge events and actions…
—Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) Austrian-American Political Economist, Sociologist
Communism didn’t fall. It was pushed.
—George H. W. Bush (1924–2018) American Republican Statesman, 41st President
For us in Russia communism is a dead dog. For many people in the West, it is still a living lion.
—Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008) Russian Dissident Novelist
There is nothing in socialism that a little age or a little money will not cure.
—Will Durant (1885–1981) American Historian, Philosopher
If Socialism can only be realized when the intellectual development of all the people permits it, then we shall not see Socialism for at least five hundred years.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
Socialism is like a dream. Sooner or later you wake up to reality.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Great Socialist statesmen aren’t made, they’re still-born.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
Our power does not know liberty or justice. It is established on the destruction of the individual will.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
Your levelers wish to level down as far as themselves.—But they cannot bear leveling up to themselves.—They would all have some people under them.—Why not then have some people above them?
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
You’ll see certain Pythagorean whose belief in communism of property goes to such lengths that they pick up anything lying about unguarded, and make off with it without a qualm of conscience as if it had come to them by law.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Communism possesses a language which every people can understand.—Its elements are hunger, envy, and death.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
A specter is haunting Europe—the specter of communism.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
Rascals are always sociable—more’s the pity! and the chief sign that a man has any nobility in his character is the little pleasure he takes in others company.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
I have no concern with any economic criticisms of the communist system; I cannot inquire into whether the abolition of private property is expedient or advantageous. But I am able to recognize that the psychological premises on which the system is based are an untenable illusion. In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression of one of its instruments… but we have in no way altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Communists have become bureaucrats. If anything will destroy us, it is this.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
All I know is I’m not a Marxist.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism.
—A. J. P. Taylor (1906–90) British Historian, Journalist, Broadcaster
Communism is the opiate of the intellectuals [with] no cure except as a guillotine might be called a cure for dandruff.
—Clare Boothe Luce (1903–87) American Playwright, Diplomat, Journalist
I am a Marxist… of the Groucho tendency.
—Unknown
The only hope of socialism resides in those who have already brought about in themselves, as far as is possible in the society of today, that union between manual and intellectual labor which characterizes the society we are aiming at.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
Socialism is a vast machine for churning out piles of goods marked “Take it or leave it. “
—Arthur Seldon (1916–2005) British Economist, Writer
Socialism must come down from the brain and reach the heart.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
Experience has taught me that the shallowest of communist platitudes contains more of a hierarchy of meaning than contemporary bourgeois profundity.
—Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) German Literary and Marxist Critic
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