' Deutscher on the Chinese Cultural Revolution

There has been too little serious discussion about the events in China which have culminated in the so-called "Cultural Revolution" and the Red Guard movement, Of course the capitalist press has been busy at work with its sneers and specuilations, and/the other .end of the political spectrum, certain small groupe which now adulate Maovas their ideological predecessors used to Stalin, have greeted these events with enthusiasm, Those Communists who take the Moscow line have been quick to take advantage of the obvious difficulties of the Chinese leadership to gain polemical advantage, But it must be said that any criticism emanating from this quarter has been untarked by political clarity, It is, therefore, very good indeed that Isaac Deutscher's opinions on this subject are are now available in a concise forn, Deutscher on the Chinese "Cultural Revolution"* takes the form of an interview given by Mr, Deutscher to the left-communist journal, lea Sinistra, of Milan, The interview was conducted on behalf of the editorial board of that journal by Mr, Ernest Tate, of Pioneer Book Service, and consists of Mr, Deutscher's answers to eight questions. These questions cover such topics as the likelihood of war between the United States and China, the danger of nuclear attack on China, China's "writing off" of the possibility of Soviet aid to the colonial revolution, China's assessment of the social nature of the Soviet Union, whether or not these events indicate a victory for Lin Piao, whether or not there is a bureaucracy in China, what are the long term prospects, and the comparison between China today and the Soviet Union in the late 1920's, Isaac Deutscher's replies cover practically every aspect of theory ranging from Mao's views on culture to the current U.S, attitude towards the communist world. He illustrates his answers with the immense historical knowledge at his disposal, Not everyone will be pleased with this publication, still less will there be universal agreement about its arguments, however the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation has done a service for the whole movement by publishing this study. One last note: critics of pamphlet will be dishonest if they do not recognise the extent to which predictiors made by Mr. Deutscher (the interview was given on 20th September) have been born out in recent weeks, This is definitely @ pamphlet to read, study, and read again, * Available from the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation publishing dept,, 11, Wormwood St., London E.C. 2, Price 1/6 (1/9a post paid), discount rates available to organisations, e.g., socialist societies, CSE branches, young socialist branches, Labour Parties, etc, Write for details,