As a detailed examination of communism and a virtual historical "balance sheet" of the implementation of communist ideals in the Soviet Union, the book Communism: A History, by renowned Harvard University Professor of History, Richard Pipes, successfully, and albeit subjectively, relates the past trials, tribulations, and eventual failure of communism. The author takes us on a long, and many times, harshly fashioned journey, which includes communist theory and program, Leninism, Stalinism, Western response to communism, "Third World" communism, and finally the contradictions and complications of communism and subsequent failure of its theory and practice. Although this is a factual and thorough examination of communism, Pipes seems guilty at times of blurring the distinction between communist thought and the actions of brutal dictatorial governments and subsequent horrific inactions of policy. Acting as the gavel in the judgment of communism, the author dissects and critiques communist technique both politically and economically, while progressively continuing along a time line that spans the centuries.

Beginning with its revolutionary birth in theory to its devastating death in practice, the author tracks communism from as early as the classic Greek writings of Homer and Plato to the more recent Marxist groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia and The Army of National Liberation and Castro's Cuban regime. Starting in 7th century B.C., Pipes provides the egalitarian framework needed to examine communism, including the radical contributions of Marx and Engels. Their contribution of economic superstructure and "scientific socialism" or eventual capitalistic breakdown is, in the end, considered to be one of the key downfalls of communism. It is here that a visible methodological bias is evident, where the author is quick to point out the failures of communism while seemingly rarely examining in turn the social gaps of capitalism and the generally positive social goals and anti-war sentiments of many communist thinkers. Throughout the remaining chapters, this negative theme, cemented in a disregard of the obvious inconsistencies in communist ideals and dictatorial practice, is revisited time after time while the author examines Soviet communism and finally relates its downfall and failure in the case of the Soviet Union.

Throughout the next chapters, which review Russian communist political and economic advances and Lenin's rise to power and inevitable dictatorship, promotes the vision of a Bolshevik organized civil war as a precursor to unavoidable world revolution. The brutality and harshness of Lenin and the Bolsheviks is revisited repeatedly as State agricultural and industrial monopolies fail and communist Russians are left devastated. Egalitarianism is tossed aside as Lenin's Nomenklatura thrives and the social, political, and economic terror begins. Russia's cooperation with Germany is also examined here and communist responsibility for World War II and interference in international politicking is stated, and possibly, according to the views of many, overstated. Moving on to the Stalinist era, the devastating effects of communism become clearer. In this area, specifically the examination of Stalinism, is where Pipe's inherent negativity towards communist thought seems to blur the lines between the will of a brutal dictator and the application of communist theory. Consequently, the Stalinist personality cult, evilness, sadism, as well as the harshness of the NKVD, has the theoretical essence of communism distorted and placed upon a chopping block.

After the atrocities and despotism of Stalinist and Marxist-Leninist communism are examined on a full timeline, which including Nazism and the Great Purges, which unfortunately cannot possibly be appropriately addressed, communism is further dissected and examined in the next section of the book, which reviews the Western reception of communism and communist thought. While first providing evidence that some western thinkers and journalists, such as Gide and Sydney and Beatrice Webb, were duped by communists in the beginning, he concedes that the sympathizes became far and few as time progressed and communism became a "no-win" proposition once more as the atrocities of communist repressionists, including Khrushchev and Mao, became increasingly apparent. The final fall of communism is related and following, the author states a few final words about the travesty that is communism. Concluding his examination, Pipes states that communism is bred by poverty, and with certain shared features such as rule by single parties organized upon military lines, unquestioned obedience, rule without restraints, and the disregard of human rights, communism was "not only a good idea gone wrong, but a bad idea".

In closing, the author creates a powerful, yet possibly subjectively scratched, looking glass to the past ideological insights and historical downfalls of communism and Marxist-Leninist Russia. There is no disagreement that Communism, in practice, has proved to be a failure and has cost the world many lives. When reading this book, there is also no doubt that it is factually correct, but seems to lack a more diversified theoretical and ideological communist view. Pipes is well written and thoughtful in his examination of communist practice, he still falls victim to the power of his more neoconservative viewpoint. Pipes acknowledges the difference between State action and theory, yet unfortunately, his examination doesn't fully reflect that separation and henceforth morphs itself into not a history of communism, but a concise and well written critique and history of communist practice.

Communism: A History by Richard Pipes is a brief, well put together and clearly presented pocket history of communism from its Marxist beginnings to the present. It's almost like 'Communism 101', a starter if you like which might lead to further reading and study. I enjoyed the book very much. One needs to keep in mind that Pipes is a noted anti communist, though to what effect his strong anti-communist feelings have influenced this book I am unable to tell.

Pipes is, however, a well respected (by some) historian and his knowledge of Russia's history is probably unrivalled in the West.

I recomend the book to anyone wanting a simple, easy to read and succinct history of communism.

Pipe's pamphlet on Communism might be rather funny, if not for the fact that we are meant to take it as real history. Not content to state the already greusome facts and let the reader judge, Pipes elects to spend his entire thankfully short book ranting about the evils of the Communist system. Broad, ridiculously simplified conclusions such as "Stalin started World War II", "Lenin was crueler than Stalin", and "The USSR was responsible for the cold war" are common. Do yourself a favor and read "Comrades!" by Robert Service instead.

Pipe's pamphlet on Communism might be rather funny, if not for the fact that we are meant to take it as real history. Not content to state the already greusome facts and let the reader judge, Pipes elects to spend his entire thankfully short book ranting about the evils of the Communist system. Broad, ridiculously simplified conclusions such as "Stalin started World War II", "Lenin was crueler than Stalin", and "The USSR was responsible for the cold war" are common. Do yourself a favor and read "Comrades!" by Robert Service instead.

For its size (160 pages, not including the notes and index), and considering that Polish-born, Harvard professor Richard Pipes once served as an adviser on Soviet and Eastern European affairs to the Reagan administration, this is an exceptional introduction to the history, theory and practice of communism.

Concise, written with clarity and authority coming from both scholarship and experience, COMMUNISM: A HISTORY traces the ideal of a classless, fully egalitarian society from its philosophical roots in ancient Greece to the present day: where, excepting the societal and economic basket cases that are Cuba and North Korea, or perhaps China and Vietnam (both of them nominally Marxist at best), the once dreaded communist systems are almost gone,

Pipes' work proposes to correct those who still hold to the belief that socialism/communism was inspired by good intentions, and only was corrupted--time and again--by the power hungry and the opportunists and sycophants who naturally followed along. For Pipes it's the collectivist and radical egalitarian intentions themselves that are essentially wrong. Such aspirations, and flawed historical interpretations that often nurture them, are, according to Pipes, antithetical to human nature and to humanity's well being. Noting Marx's theories of human social evolution in comparison with what we know about the individuality and acquisitiveness existing even in the most primitive human groups, Pipes' shows them to be without foundation. For him, calling Marx's "scientific socialism" a pseudo-science is too charitable, to say the least.

Pipes' proves strong when he delivers insight to the various fallacies within "scientific socialism." Contradicting itself almost from the start, it needed constantly to be revised and to adapt (Leninism, Trotskyism, Stalinism, Maoism, etc.) to rapidly changing social and economic circumstances. More importantly, he points out the inherent violence and terror built into communism. Before Stalin or even Lenin, communism's grim and bloody plan was born in Marx's belief of the necessity for proletarian dictatorship. Quite funny it is to read Pipes grudgingly acknowledge the predictions by 19th century anarchist thinkers for Marxism: they were the first to criticize the draconian tendencies of the ideology, foreseeing that once put into practice it would breed its own parasitical bureaucracy, leading ultimately to the worst form of tyranny.

There are, however, gaping omissions and rather perplexing claims made by Mr. Pipes. While I didn't expect to find much reference to figures such as Albania's Enver Hoxha, I did think there should have been something said about the Italian communist thinker Antonio Gramsci. I certainly expected to find more on Leon Trotsky, who defeated the White forces in the Russian Civil War, thereby ensuring the survival of the Bolshevik regime, and who at one time was Stalin's rival to succeed Lenin; surprisingly, he is treated with scant reference. Another area where this book suffers is with Pipes' writing on Marx's early influences. French proto-anarchist Pierre-Joseph ("Property is theft") Proudhon, a man who left a major impression throughout much of modern socialist ideology in general, receives no mention. Even more disturbing is the absence of Marx's attachment to the Young Hegelians. Yet two pages are devoted to Charles Darwin, where the author makes a clumsy attempt at drawing a direct line from Darwin to Marx. Considering that exaggerations and half-truths of Darwin's influence like this are being promoted by some Christian fundamentalists, one can't help but wonder if Pipes is doing a bit of pandering to his target audience.

That being said, this is overall excellent work, which should benefit anyone interested in 20th century communist movement's history and development.

It's sad how ignorant Americans are on the subject of Socialism. This concise book gets to the heart of delineating the difference between the perception of Leftist ideology and what the true agenda embodies. Starting with a much needed history lesson, Dr. Pipes pulls the mask from Socialist tenets and exposes the inner workings of the Socialist political system as it exists. Dr. Pipes certainly has the credentials as History professor emeritus at Harvard University, to impart the chilling details of what the Socialists of the Liberal Left intend for us all. The book is written to be easily understood and should be considered a credit bearing course in any college or university. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, I better understand why the 70+ year experiment utterly failed, as it was logically doomed from the start. This is a great book and exemplifies the adage, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

A great concise history of Soviet Russia. Pipes dedicates most of his time to the years of Lenin and Stalin, but if you want a short intriguing book on Soviet Russia this is the book.

I first read this fantastic little book back in 2003 and it never left my side throughout 4 years of university. That's my way of putting a disclaimer in that my review may be a little biased.

Over 161 pages Pipes charts the rise and fall of Communism from the very first intellectual musings by Plato and Aristole all the way through to John Locke and of course Karl Marx and Lennin. Pipes argues coherently and articulately coming to the conclusion that Communism failed not because of timing, or location, or implementation, but because the ideology of communism is fundamentally flawed. It wouldn't have mattered one jot if the time, place or manner of implementation changed (as the Neo-Marxist argue) because the ideology was so fundamentally anti-human that it would never have worked.

If you are interested in finding out how such a fundamentally flawed ideology could control the actions and reactions of the hundreds of millions of people and dictate the formation of the geo-political situation for 73 odd years then read this book - you won't regret it and it is quite simply a page turner that I found impossible to put down.

Richard Pipes writes us about the evils of communisn and why we must never trust it and never preach it. In that respect he has a good book because he shows us great examples of where communisn has failed and how millions suffered. The "Dictatorship by the Proletariat" was as far as Marxist Ideology got and never to the Utopia that was described and preached by the communist. This Distatorship is the greatest failure in Human history by the count of human beings that were displaced and later died.

This book does also explain the main goals of communisn and why it failed in every place where it took hold. In the end the people who were in charge just used the words or ideals of communisn in order for them to stay in power and keep draconian mesures in place for those who disagreed with them. As they would expect and demand for everyone to fallow their agricultural, industrial programs and suffer with little food and less energy they themselves would reap the rewards. Living in quarters and houses that were not suppose to even exist in their new land of "Equality" but they themselves were not the equal of anyone. This happened in every place were communisn took place, their was no equality. Equality only existed for those who did not belong to the party and but that was called misery, which is something of abudant supply in a communist regime.

The main thesis of Marxism/Lennism was to create a new man, a man who would be ready for the new Utopia. In order for this new man to be born, everthing else must be destroyed. That is what communism is about. If you do not fit in or have ideals contrary to its teachings, you are in danger and what kind of life is that.

Read this book and if you think their is a better way to help those who need help than find it but do not use communisn or ways derived from it. The Utopia you wish to create does not exist but in your imagination.

This book should be Chapter-Last in every high school Civics class. Pipes takes a complex subject and confines it as perfectly as can be done. It is so important, I think, that people understands what the Grand Fantasy of communism actually accomplishes when tried.

That said, I can't think of another book so well documented on this particular subject. It's one thing to talk about the theory of communism; its another to show example after example of how the grand experiment failed again and again.

This book, through its well summarized examples of communism, left an enduring mark on me.

If you enjoy this book, I'd suggest David Horowitz' "Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey." It is a fantastic account of the underground influence of the communists during the 20th century in the United States.