A specter is haunting Europe—the specter of communism.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.
—Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–65) French Politician, Philosopher, Socialist
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
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
It is a socialist idea that making profits is a vice. I consider the real vice is making losses.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
I am a Marxist… of the Groucho tendency.
—Unknown
Communism is the corruption of a dream of justice.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
The theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
A man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.
—Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) Soviet Leader
Great Socialist statesmen aren’t made, they’re still-born.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
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
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 Politician, Philosopher, Socialist
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
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
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
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
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
Communists have always played an active role in the fight by colonial countries for their freedom, because the short-term objects of Communism would always correspond with the long-term objects of freedom movements.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
We must conclude that it is not only a particular political ideology that has failed, but the idea that men and women could ever define themselves in terms that exclude their spiritual needs.
—Salman Rushdie (b.1947) Indian-born British Novelist
Socialism is like a dream. Sooner or later you wake up to reality.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Socialism must come down from the brain and reach the heart.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
The substance of the eminent Socialist gentlemen’s speech is that making a profit is a sin. It is my belief that the real sin is taking a loss!
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
A successful social technique consists perhaps in finding unobjectionable means for individual self-assertion.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
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 possesses a language which every people can understand.—Its elements are hunger, envy, and death.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
Communists are people who fancied that they had an unhappy childhood.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
Many people feel empty, a world that seemed so strong just collapsed. Forty years have been wasted on stupid strife for the sake of an unsuccessful experiment. The values gathered together have vanished, the strategies for survival have become ridiculous. And so forty years of our lives have become a story, a bad anecdote. But it may be possible to remember these adventures with a kind of irony.
—Gyorgy Konrad (1933–2019) Hungarian Novelist, Sociologist, Essayist
All I know is I’m not a Marxist.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
Socialism is a vast machine for churning out piles of goods marked “Take it or leave it. “
—Arthur Seldon (1916–2005) British Economist, Writer
Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism.
—A. J. P. Taylor (1906–90) British Historian, Journalist, Broadcaster
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
When one pays a visit it is for the purpose of wasting other people’s time, not one’s own.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
Communism has never come to power in a country that was not disrupted by war or corruption, or both.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
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
There is nothing in socialism that a little age or a little money will not cure.
—Will Durant (1885–1981) American Historian, Philosopher, Memoirist, Socialist
A great social success is a pretty girl who plays her cards as carefully as if she were plain.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
Under socialism all will govern in turn and will soon become accustomed to no one governing.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
Communism is like one big phone company.
—Lenny Bruce (1925–66) American Comedian, Writer, Social Critic, Satirist
Every reasonable human being should be a moderate Socialist.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
Communists have become bureaucrats. If anything will destroy us, it is this.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
Communism didn’t fall. It was pushed.
—George H. W. Bush (1924–2018) American Republican Statesman, 41st President
Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chinese Statesman
Communism, like any other revealed religion, is largely made up of prophecies.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Communism is like prohibition, it is a good idea, but it won’t work.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Communism, my friend, is more than Marxism, just as Catholicism is more than the Roman Curia. There is a mystique as well as a politick. Catholics and Communists have committed great crimes, but at least they have not stood aside, like an established society, and been indifferent. I would rather have blood on my hands than water like Pilate.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer