The Crisis in British Communism

In 1956, Khrushchev’s report on the crimes of Stalin at the 20th congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union together with the Hungarian revolution shook the Stalinist parties throughout the world. Ted Grant exposed the contradictory and reductionist analysis proposed by the Stalinist leaders in preparation of the British CP congress and pointed out that “the complete shake up within the Communist Party in Britain is an indication that it will not be possible to muffle the doubts and questioning among the sincere Communist rank and file by hysterical shrieks and threats on the part of the leadership as in the past. The hypnosis of Stalinism has been broken.”

tedgrant_small.jpgIn 1956, Khrushchev’s report on the crimes of Stalin at the 20th congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union together with the Hungarian revolution shook the Stalinist parties throughout the world. Ted Grant exposed the contradictory and reductionist analysis proposed by the Stalinist leaders in preparation of the British CP congress and pointed out that “the complete shake up within the Communist Party in Britain is an indication that it will not be possible to muffle the doubts and questioning among the sincere Communist rank and file by hysterical shrieks and threats on the part of the leadership as in the past. The hypnosis of Stalinism has been broken.”

Read the full article in the Ted Grant Archive.

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