Present Danger Is Not Different

Shelves of libraries are filled up with numerous analyses, reviews and criticism of the Soviet communism. Authors define subversive policies of Lenin’s State as the only threat to peace and prosperity of the West. What is difficult to understand is that almost all of Western analysts missed the factor that made the Cold War unique among struggles: it focused on the war of ideas. Lenin’s ideology offered radically different political philosophy. The conflict between two concepts of human nature was the essence of Cold War.

One of Cold War bestsellers appears to be relevant today. Until President Reagan decided to challenge policies of detente, West was on the loosing side of the confrontation. It is not to say that Cold War ended, but rather to emphasize how important it was to focus on the right aspect of it. This book appears to provide important lessons for those who are interested in deeper dimension of the Cold War struggle. I think it is worthy to read this short review. I would recommend it.

“What is difficult to understand is that almost all of Western analysts missed the factor that made the Cold War unique among struggles: it focused on the war of ideas.”

The recommended book have merit, but as a former graduate student of Soviet history and historiography, the portion of the article quoted above is doubly preposterous. Shelves groan with books and articles about the war of ideas in the Soviet and Cod War periods. It would be impossible to study either Communism, Marxism, the Russian revolutionary movement, the Russian Revolutions and Civil War, Soviet history, politics, domestic or foreign policy, and even Soviet science without confronting this constantly. Second, how can it be claimed that no other struggles are over ideas? What does the author think drives Islamist jihad?

In his philosophy of history, Marx “discovered” that history is driven by objective material circumstances rather than ideas or human will. Thereafter, this thoroughly subjective Idea has driven Marxists to make revolutions and wars, vastly deform economies, micromanage millions of lives, and endeavor to change human nature itself. Marx had clear vision for the internal contradictions of ideas he opposed, but was blind to the glaring flaw in his own thought.

Many analysts especially Sovietologists did not notice or acknowledged the fact that the war of ideas focused on two different views of human nature. The further consequence of that conflict was different approach to truth and generally to ethical problems.
I would agree with you that Islamist or even Islam is driven by certain attractive (and false) narrative that West was not able to counter until today. I would not agree though that Islam appeals to reason (it is not to say that is reasonable or logical but rather contrary) as much as so-called scientific Marxism. I would stress that this certain narrative drives Muslims to this violent (terrorist) jihad as it motivated Islamic conquerors, for instance Islamic hordes of Ottomans (etc), for centuries.

“Many analysts especially Sovietologists did not notice or acknowledge the fact that the war of ideas focused on two different views of human nature.”

Since this is fundamentally at odds with my direct experience, there must be something that is not coming across here. What time period are you referencing? How are you defining “analysts”?

“I would not agree that Islam appeals to reason...as much as so-called scientific Marxism.”

I didn’t say it did, but you raise an interesting point. Islam as presented in popular media rarely penetrates beyond terrorism and threats, with the implication that violent acts driven by religious fury typifies Islam. In practice, Islam is primarily a system of social control based on (many competing schools of) religious law, bent to incorporate various ethnic traditions, beliefs and practices, all aimed at curbing the wrongful acts they believe humans can’t resist from within. (Marxists seek to control people on the premise that human nature can be changed. Islamists seek to control people on the premise that it can’t. That might be amusing if the consequences were not so dire.) Islamic scholarship centers on the rigorous application of reason, very much in the mode of Marxism. The problem for both systems is that reasoning from flawed premises bears fruit only within its own framework, but is sterile in the world of truth. That said, I would agree that the appearance of logic and reason is a fundamental attraction for most Marxists, whereas rank and file Moslems delegate the thinking to specialists.

Western Sovietologists were preoccupied with problems in the area of military, economics, intelligence and finance. Almost nobody assessed the Soviet threat as a competition of fundamentally two different world-views. One based on the Biblical values and the other on purely atheistic. In addition to that Sovietologists would treat Soviet monster almost as a parallel state to the Western entities.

Is it really a need for any evidence? Well just look at, what we can call for the use in this discussion, “the Talbott school” (for instance Mr. Cyrus Vance practiced his ideas ignoring all of painful consequences of this madness)..
The truth is that until the Soviet dissidents appeared in the West including Solzhenitsyn, Siniavsky (who discussed the issue of an attempt to create “a new man” by Leninists) , Amalrik etc. this (discussed by us) aspect of the nature of the Soviet regime was almost never taken seriously by the Western policy-makers. Look how these Sovietologists were annoyed with Reagan, who called Soviets an Evil Empire. Obviously he not only called as such, but also explained in details why this is appropriate name for this type of political regime posing as legitimate alternative to the Western democratic system.
I really do not know anyone who could analyze the Homo-Marxian system from the Judeo-Christian point of view. I think the Biblical element was missing in the analysis of the Soviet system which from its birth was intended on the destruction of Christianity and replacing it with their form of religion...

Turning now to our discussion about Islam, I would add that the West is losing this war because the religious aspect is not being taken seriously.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.