Jean Francois Revel - The Totalitarian Temptation (Tentatia Totalitara) comunism

Autor: Jean-François Revel

Titlu: The Totalitarian Temptation

Editura: Secker & Warburg

An aparitie: 1977 (Prima editie in engleza, dupa princeps franceza 1976)

Nr. pagini: 288

Tip coperta: Cartonata, Supracoperta

Limba engleza

starea cartii: foarte buna

Descriere: “Usually one does not need a forward to explain what a book is about. Some times it’s wise to point out what a book is ‘not’ about.’’

Revel writes in the clear, vivid style of the educated Frenchman. This work from 1976 is almost a substitute for time travel. Superficially focused on political system, Revel wants to analyze human ‘temptation’. More interested in ‘Why’ than ‘How’. Closer to questions of epistemology than politics. Especially since the political, cultural world has altered. However, human ‘temptation’ is still here.

“It is not a book about about France or the French left. . . . It is not a book about current affairs in 1975 or 1976. . . . It is not a eulogy of capitalism. . . . It is not an encouragement to go back to the Cold War. . . . It is not a book about communism.’’

Well . . . what?

“As the title clearly implies, it is is a book about temptation, not about its object.’’

‘Temptation’ of course, connects to sin more than economics. Morality more than politics. Ideas more than events. And right and wrong more then right and left.

So the time specific examples here are all outdated and now — irrelevant. The insight into the human heart — temptation, bias, etc., etc., are ongoing.

1 Socialism and it’s foes
2 The Totalitarian urge
3 why Stalinism is advancing in the world
4 the democratic misunderstanding
5 the socialist misunderstanding
6 the fear of anti-communism
7 unofficial Stalinism
8 the excommunication of social democracy

9 excesses in the economic critique of capitalism
10 excesses n the moral critique of capitalism
11 the myth that democratic liberalism is utterly bankrupt
12 the refusal to analyze the causes of failure
13 the state as narcissus
14 uniting the nine powers
15 of docility toward Stalinism
16 toward a new socialism?

“The refusal to face the consequences of one’s own mistakes is more disturbing. Everyone makes mistakes. But if to err is human, it would seem dangerous to entrust power to those who consider themselves exempt from that rule and are convinced they have never blundered either in conception or execution. Before, during and after the disasters they inflict on others and themselves, it is their invariable custom to attribute exclusively to fascist and capitalist machinations the warnings they receive, the objections that are raised and the accounting that is demanded of them.’’

Well . . . Lord Acton still correct — “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’’

The ability to blame others, the capacity to shift blame, (the woman you gave me did it), the desire to ignore responsibility, is everywhere and all times. No one political system, no one religious system, no one era, no one culture, has a lock on virtue and the key to perfection.

Yep, temptation is permanent.

Revel provides more evidence that ‘all sin and in our flesh there dwells nothing good.’

Occurs to me . . . Revel is praying (to the political class) ‘do not bring us into to temptation’.