Has anyone read the "Black Book of Communism" ?

[Urban Rubble]

Has anyone read this ? It's a document of all communisms crimes. I haven't read it yet so I'm not sure how it is or how accurate it is.

Here's a link to some reviews, sounds exagerrated.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/store...#06740760877299 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/0674076087/reviews/002-6260827-3223208#06740760877299)

[dsmtuner]

I seen that but I didn't bother to buy it, not even to steal it.

[Urban Rubble]

Why ? Afraid of reading something from a different point of view ?

Alot of people around here are like that, they wouldn't be caught dead reading anything that is not written from a left wing perspective. How can you expect to be objective if you don't read things from both sides ?

[Kez]

Urban you fuckin idiot, you think an objective person would write a book called "Black Book of Communism", fuckin idiot.
dont try and be big and smart or a hero, coz ur not.

and who is to say who is objective, bourgeoise objeective is very different from marxist objective...in anycase if im reading something about marxism in which to promote marxism why the fuck wud i read a non-marxist text??

[Dan Majerle]

Quote: from TavareeshKamo on 7:43 pm on July 13, 2003
Urban you fuckin idiot, you think an objective person would write a book called "Black Book of Communism", fuckin idiot.
dont try and be big and smart or a hero, coz ur not.

and who is to say who is objective, bourgeoise objeective is very different from marxist objective...in anycase if im reading something about marxism in which to promote marxism why the fuck wud i read a non-marxist text??

I agree minus the swear words and belligerent tone. :)

[Urban Rubble]

Your ignorance astounds me Tav.

First, I never said that the book was objective, I said to be objective you have to read things from both sides. If you read my post, I didn't say the author of the book was objective, quite the opposite actually. I said to be objective you have to study both sides.

Why would you read a non-Marxist text ? Oh, I don't know maybe TO MAKE SURE THE OTHER SIDE ISN'T RIGHT. How can you know what you believe in is right if you haven't studied it form all angles ?

No one should be able to call themselves a Marxist if they haven't read at least SOME cappie literature, Ayn Rand, Adam Smith, whatever. You CANNOT be objective when you have only studied ONE SIDE.

I'm a fucking idiot ? Funny. At least I haven't blindly subscribed to an ideology without studying the alternatives.

Oh, and where was I trying to be a "hero" ? I wouldn't think a smart person would spell because as "cuz". Whats next ? Spelling it boi ? What about SK8 ? Spelling like that makes you sound like a 14 year old girl.

[dsmtuner]

Quote: from Urban Rubble on 9:08 pm on July 12, 2003
Why ? Afraid of reading something from a different point of view ?

Alot of people around here are like that, they wouldn't be caught dead reading anything that is not written from a left wing perspective. How can you expect to be objective if you don't read things from both sides ?


Well I might pick up something from the right but there are still books from the left that I haven't read and I think i should read those first.

[Urban Rubble]

I understand.

The thing that bothers me is that people will defend their ideology so fiercely, yet they haven't even studied anyone else's.

Also, I'm not saying that this Black Book of Communism is a viable right wing text, it is most likely greatly exaggerated like most American books on communism.

[dsmtuner]

Plus I'd rather read a book on capitalism that's by a capitalist than a communist book by a capitalist.

[Urban Rubble]

Agreed. When you get a book on Communism written by a Capitalist (or the other way around) it is usually going to be full of exagerrations and staright up lies.

The only way to be a complete Communist (or Marxist, Capitalist or any other ideology) you MUST study every angle and every side. Otherwise you are a one sided moron.

Oh, and my first reply to you sounded a little harsh, I was just giving you shit, not trying to be a dick or anything.

I really want Tavareesh to reply.

[RedComrade]

I read it over a year ago, its one big book of numbers. It was so many numbers it went in one ear and out the other, the sheer scale of the death and horror reduced it to statistics that are hard to comprehend or understand on a personal scale. As to its accuracy its basically numbers and those numbers tend to come from the archives in the fallen commie countries so unless the documents are fabricated I think that its probably preety accurate, as for the numbers concerning countries that are still communist and/or have not opened their archives the numbers provided are sheer speculation and at best educated guesses, definately worth reading if you consider yourself a supporter of the U.S.S.R or Maoist P.R.C, take it with a dose of salt though because some of the writers are ideologues.

[Rastafari]

most sensible socialists start out on the other side...Knowing one side of an arguement isn't sufficient in anything.
You can't shelter one view or else you are a fool, that is what the enemy does.

I agree with Urban Rubble 100%