Communism in Power

From Stalin to Mao

By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius

Trace the growth of communism from Stalin’s consolidation of power to the establishment of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, China, Korea, Vietnam, and elsewhere in Communism in Power: From Stalin to Mao. These 12 half-hour lessons shed intriguing light on a revolutionary movement that played an outsized role in the 20th century and continues to shape 21st-century geopolitics.

The period covered includes the Cold War, which saw the height of ideological conflict between communist and capitalist states. At the time, the true extent of internal repression imposed by communist governments was not widely known, notably the vast Gulag system organized under Stalin, Mao’s catastrophic Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, and the “Killing Fields” of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. These organized campaigns against mostly innocent citizens led to many tens of millions of deaths.

A specialist in modern European history, Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius is the Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was awarded the university’s top two teaching awards. In Communism in Power: From Stalin to Mao, he masterfully untangles the rivalries, contradictions, and doctrinal heresies that plagued communism in different countries, undermining the dream of worldwide communist comradeship. The course also covers attempts by communists to get a foothold in the United States; the widespread admiration for Soviet achievements, fueled by official propaganda; the growing disillusionment with life under Marxism-Leninism; and the day-to-day adaptations of ordinary people, including the dark jokes they made about their plight.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

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Good but would have liked more depth

Though bleak, I certainly enjoyed this romp through some of the bleakest but enlightening chapters of human history. I would have enjoyed more depth however on many of the countries presented and how they interpreted communism. North Korea for instance only received one chapter, when there is probably more to be said. Cuba for instance wasn't even covered. That being said, I certainly enjoyed this course and will eagerly await the next course in this series.

the broader strokes

This lecture series gives you a larger context of communism in the 20th century and its global impact.

This should be required reading/listening

Communism has never worked, and this book puts into perspective the costs of allowing Communism to take hold of a country. it also clearly brings to light the fact that factionlism plagues it evern more greatly than normal democracies because most democracies do not degrade into Stat organizised violence.

Excellent set of lectures

I’ve enjoyed everything done by this professor but this one seems particularly good to me. I was surprised since it has a very bleak subject and it’s also something I felt I studied a fair amount in college. But turning back to these topics at this point in history was fascinating. The professor’s lectures are clear and well organized.

This might be a good one for a motivated homeschooler who is intrigued by this period of history.

required reading.

The professor provides a broad enough scope and just enough detail for the student to understand the similarities and differences between the various ways that communism has been attempted worldwide. I cannot wait for the next portion of this series