"The number of people booing was actually fairly small. Warren Beatty of all people gave him a standing ovation. Kazan was a representative of a certain generation that got into radical politics in the Depression era. It was an unfortunate time in American history when many artists and intellectuals were seduced by Marxism. I imagine it was dilettantish for most of them. Some were just flat out commies though."
It seems today's "liberal elites" fit the caricature of pro-communist dilettantes of yore. Both Red China and Soviet Russia frequently purged with great dispatch extraneous dabbling dilettantes as well as serious dissenters.
One can understand the perspective of generational communists who immigrated from Eastern Europe and those disillusioned U.S. citizens who were lured to communism during the depression era.
When you think of economic crisis and depression, don't forget George Soros who manipulates high finances in the dark, dank background. Soros favours and funds the sustained megalomania known as Hillary Clinton.