Marxism is like a classical building that followed the Renaissance; beautiful in its way, but incapable of growth.
—Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) British Head of State
Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
By concentrating on what is good in people, by appealing to their idealism and their sense of justice, and by asking them to put their faith in the future, socialists put themselves at a severe disadvantage.
—Ian McEwan British Novelist, Short-Story Writer
Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chinese Statesman
It is a socialist idea that making profits is a vice. I consider the real vice is making losses.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Communism didn’t fall. It was pushed.
—George H. W. Bush (1924–2018) American Republican Statesman, 41st President
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
Socialism is a vast machine for churning out piles of goods marked “Take it or leave it. “
—Arthur Seldon (1916–2005) British Economist, Writer
The Communists claim that they liberated the Russian people. Yet, when the Great Patriotic War began, these same Russians greeted their foreign invaders with tears, with flowers and with enthusiastic hospitality. What can have brought them to the point at which they would greet even Hitler as their saviour and liberator?
—Viktor Suvorov (b.1947) Russian Intelligence Officer
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
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
The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism.
—A. J. P. Taylor (1906–90) British Historian, Journalist, Broadcaster
Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
To make men Socialists is nothing, but to make Socialism human is a great thing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
Communism is a cow of many; well milked and badly fed.
—Spanish Proverb
Communists have become bureaucrats. If anything will destroy us, it is this.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
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
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
Lions, wolves, and vultures don’t live together in herds, droves or flocks. Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbor, and yet we herd together.
—John Gay (1685–1732) English Poet, Dramatist
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
Socialism must come down from the brain and reach the heart.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
This socialism will develop in all its phases until it reaches its own extremes and absurdities. Then once again a cry of denial will break from the titanic chest of the revolutionary minority and again a mortal struggle will begin, in which socialism will play the role of contemporary conservatism and will be overwhelmed in the subsequent revolution, as yet unknown to us.
—Alexander Herzen (1812–70) Russian Revolutionary, Writer
A common danger tends to concord. Communism is the exploitation of the strong by the weak. In Communism, inequality comes from placing mediocrity on a level with excellence.
—Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–65) French Social Philosopher, Journalist
Great Socialist statesmen aren’t made, they’re still-born.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
Many people consider the things government does for them to be social progress, but they consider the things government does for others as socialism.
—Earl Warren (1891–1974) American Judge, Politician, Governor
Socialism proposes no adequate substitute for the motive of enlightened selfishness that to-day is at the basis of all human labor and effort, enterprise and new activity.
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930) American President, Chief Justice
Communism is the corruption of a dream of justice.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
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
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