A Pattern of Revolution
The Pattern of Communist Revolution. By Hugh Seton-Watson. (Methuen. 25s.) The Pattern of Communist Revolution. By Hugh Seton-Watson. (Methuen. 25s.) THIS is a valuable and original contribution to revolutionary history, and indeed to history in general. The originality, as the author emphasises, lies not in the matter but in the approach. " What I have tried to do," Professor Seton-Watson tells us, " . . . is in a more or less systematic manner to relate communist activity to the real social forces, and the real balance of political power, within which it operated. My subject is in short the impact of the communist movement to the outside world and of the outside world on it."
This is a large order. 'What we are in fact given is a survey of the social forces and the balance of plower in almost every country in the world over the last forty years. The general reader will find a brief and lucid account of the beginnings of communism in Indonesia, and of how the A.P.R.A. started in Peru and what happened to it. The specialist will find a handy summary (with short but stimulating bibliographies) of what has been going on in the fields around his own. Most attention has naturally been given to those national communist movements of more than national significance. At least a quarter of the space is devoted to Russia.
Professor Seton-Watson brings to his task a massive array of knowledge, a gift of clear exposition, and (what does not always go with these qualities) an awareness of the human beings behind all the theories and polemics and statistics that fill the text books. He shows us, with a wealth of illustration, what social and political conditions have given communism its opportunity, and what factors have made for its victory or defeat. In doing so he disposes, effectively and with gusto, of a number of Marxian myths. The final chapter, after an admirable analysis 'of the material handled, goes on to what amounts to a robust declaration of faith in a realistic liberalism.
It would be impossible for a work of this scope to be undertaken in a manner to please every reader. Some will find territorial gaps. There is nothing about the impact, or attempted impact, of com- munism upon North America. .Other readers may feel that too much ground has been. covered, that the book would have been better if confined to the national communist movements of real importance. And some of us, notwithstanding the author's self-imposed limita- tions, would have welcomed further analysis and illustration of the "real balance of political power" that rightly looms so large in the argument. How far is such power synonymous with physical force, be it of army, police, armed peasants and workers, street toughs ? Then there is the problem of leadership. In all successful corn. munist revolutions the communist leaders seem to have been more dynamic, more resourceful and more realist than their opponents. Was this mere chance ?
We hope some future survey will cover these questions. Meanwhile we must be grateful, for what we have. " To push back," suggests Professor Seton-Watson, " even by a few inches the boundaries of ignorance and illusion is more useful than to pontificate about miraculous short cuts to salvation." The Pattern of Communist Revolution is a very appreciable push.
DAVID FOOTMAN
Previous page
