The Cause That Failed: Communism in American Political Life

Lewy writes that the American Communist Party, now a small sect, is as doctrinaire today as it was in the 1930s when it claimed nearly 100,000 members and slavishly followed ever-changing directives from Moscow. In a provocative, historical analysis, the University of Massachusetts political scientist accuses the U.S. intellectual community of ``a self-conscious anti-anticommunism'' rising in reaction to the excesses of the McCarthy era. Lewy argues that the American Civil Liberties Union, once staunchly opposed to working with or defending communists, has gone astray in supporting partisan causes. He further contends that the U.S. peace movement has compromised itself by forming coalitions with the Communist Party. Lewy's tough-minded, no-holds-barred critique should stir discussion at all points on the political spectrum. (Oct.)