The Czech Analogy
Such general lessons as are to be derived from the methods whereby the Czech revolution was carried out are more immediately applicable to Italy, Austria, Germany and France than to Great Britain. But the old question, " Could it happen here ? " is once again being asked. Despite, or perhaps because of, its apparent remoteness it is necessary both that the question should be answered and that any answer should be based on a cool assessment of facts rather than on fears or hopes. A close scrutiny of the available facts yield first of all the conclusion that nothing less than a complete breakdown of the Government's economic policy and a collapse of the Marshall Plan could provide, as it were, the minimum basis of confusion. Even then there are a number of conditions of revolution existing in Czechoslovakia which do not exist here. We have nothing of that acute fear for the future which is inspired in all Czechs by the land frontier with Germany, we have no racial or cultural sympathies with Russia, and the Communist permeation of the Home Office and the police is not a real threat. All these facts can be set down before the loathing of British people for police spying, political informing or any form of forcible interference with liberty, are even mentioned. But on the other side nearly all the items in a Communist action programme exist in embryo. Demands that the armed forces shall be cut down, that wages shall go up regardless of the threat of rabid inflation, that nationalisation shall be indefinitely extended, that the freedom of the Press shall be limited, and even that measures should be taken to frustrate a sinister plot by Powers further west—all these things are not merely Com- munist verbiage, but are sometimes present in the conversation of otherwise reasonable people. Vigilance is not required only against known Communists, but against the loose acceptance of potentially destructive doctrines. As to the British Communists themselves the most important analogy is between the numerous groups of Corn-. munist and near-Communist shop-stewards and the " action committees " which suddenly appeared from nowhere in Czecho- slovakia and become the all-powerful agents of the revolutionary purge. That must never happen here.
