The following personal essay, about the evolution of thought, is excerpted from the preface of Myths of Marxism:
“ To-day the world’s largest country (the Soviet Union) and the world’s biggest country (China), the whole of Eastern Europe, North Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Cuba are directly under communist rule. That adds up to nearly one third of the world’s population. Even in many other countries the communist parties are a force to reckon with. The ideology and basic drive behind the communist movement is Marxism. Not only the communists, but also most of the socialists and many others base themselves on, or under the influence of, Marxism to a great extent. The communists really believe that sooner or later the whole world will go ‘red’. Judging from the present trends in the world we cannot say that their belief is entirely without foundation”
— Vaasamorti, 1975.
But since then much water has flowed down many a bridge in the world.
What were thought to be impregnable fortresses of Marxism, all those mighty governments, were buffeted by the winds of free trade and democracy and at last crumbled down into the dust. Only China, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam are still hanging onto Marxism, but except for the name how much of the ideology is left intact is open to doubt. Anyhow the claim that the whole world would one day go ‘red’ has turned out to be a daydream, leaving only a bitter taste in the mouth.
Well and good, it is quite obvious that the days are numbered for Marxism as a doctrine. Then what about it? Why should we exercise ourselves unnecessarily over something that is almost dead and gone?’ one may say. For one thing, as we have seen above, five countries i.e., China, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia are still under communist rule. China is not only the biggest country in the world, but also a world power in military terms, next only to the U.S.A, wielding a lot of influence in many countries spread over the globe. In India, a country of more than a billion people, the Communists ruled three states until recently and though they lost two in the latest elections, still remain a powerful force. Almost all parties, except the Hindu ones, seek to be good friends with them. In Nepal the Maoists are now in power a major force, Even in the former communist countries owing to the problems of transition and owing to the insufficiencies, faults and failures of the succeeding governments communist parties are staging a comeback. They may not be able to turn the clock back, but have certainly begun to matter in their countries. In several other countries too, especially in the so-called developing countries, communist parties are still able to command influence far beyond their real strength. In South America Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela, besides being a staunch supporter of Fidel Castro of Cuba, had been able draw many friends (Presidents of some fellow South American countries) to his side, including Iran in the Middle East. Indeed communists in many places are now making common cause even with Islamic fundamentalists to fight the ‘arch enemy’ the U.S.A. So it is a dangerous folly and delusion to treat Marxism as dead and gone. It is still very much alive and kicking vigorously at that.
‘Warning noted,’ one may say. No, it is much more serious than that. China cannot be treated simply as one of the powerful countries of the world. It is the most important Marxist country. That makes all the difference. We need not recount here how mighty China has grown. Today we say, ‘after the U.S.A.’ Tomorrow we may have to say, ‘after China.’ That does not mean that it will soon launch a war of conquest of the world. Having tasted the fruits of rapid development it will most likely not wish to forgo them. What concerns us most is the fact that its very success has given a mighty boost to a doctrine that was assumed to have been proved a failure with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Marxists are everywhere up again with renewed zeal.
There is the record of the countries ruled by Marxists. Their first target on capturing power is freedom of opinion and expression. In China one has to see, hear and feel as the government dictates, and not see, hear and feel what the state does not like. See the fate of dissidents there. See how China treats the peaceful people of Tibet and its universally respected spiritual leader, Dalai Lama. The ruling Communist Party of China also has been taking steps to ward off outside influences. Because of this attitude towards basic human values it is loath to cooperate with other powers in restraining such regimes like that of North Korea, Myanmar (earlier), Syra etc. It can coexist happily with the worst dictatorial power, so long as it is not hostile towards itself. One may ask, in this connection, ‘in what way Marxism is responsible for the lack of democracy in Communist countries. In the following pages of this book an effort is made to show clearly how Marxism is totally irrelevant as an economic theory and that it has never been in practice and never will be. Its use is political. What it has done is to help its followers capture power in the name of workers and peasants who are lured by the myth of communism. But once in power the Communists find basic human freedoms a hindrance in their way. The present writer hopes the readers will recognize the great danger posed by the Marxists to democracy and freedom.
As the saying goes he who is not a socialist before thirty and he who is one after thirty are both useless, so in my early years I was a socialist and was also drawn towards communism. As a booklover I went into the literature on the subject and I developed some doubts. So I went deeper into the matter. I had now serious questions regarding the concept itself of the materialist determinism, the bedrock of communist philosophy, the Marxian use of dialectics, the labor theory of value, the surplus theory of value. the wide divergence between theory and practice and repetition of sham ideals, too much sloganeering etc. I am placing all my doubts and questions before the readers and also giving the factual material that led me to this position.
— Vaasamoorti