People's Democracy: A Contribution to the Study of Communist Theory of State and Revolution, by Francis J. Kase

The communist-controlled regimes which emerged at the end of World War In in Eastern Europe and elsewhere confronted the Soviet leaders with the problem of explaining the phenomenon that certain countries were developing toward socialism in a manner differing from the pattern of a violent revolution which had been followed by the Soviet Union. In an effort to fit these communist-dominated states, with their peculiar features, into the conceptual framework of the communist theory of the state, the Soviet theorists formulated the concept of "people's democracy". The theory of "people's democracy" not only made it possible to explain such new political systems in terms of Marxism-Leninism, but also could justify the Soviet Union's claim to predominance as the leading power of the communist world, and provide a guide to action for the future spread of communism.

The author traces the development of "people's democracy" from its early beginnings through the many changes the theory had to undergo in order to serve the needs of the Soviet leadership until its final evolvement into "national democracy". "National democracy" and the "popular front" governments at present appear to be preferred by the Soviet Union as instruments for the eventual establishment of communist governments in various parts of the world.

The author concludes that "communism is still a universal doctrine which aims at establishing a communist world order", and warns that the process of extension of the communist system is intended to continue indefinitely, even though the methods toward this goal may vary from time to time.

A special section is devoted to different national variants of "people's democracy", such as the Chinese and the Yugoslav, and to the recent China-sponsored revival of this concept in certain countries, such as the People's Republic of the Congo (Stanleyville)

Condition: fair (cover is torn at edges, but the actually contents are in good condition)