Summary
In a book titled “Il passato di un’illusione,” French historian François Furet examined communism as an ideological force rather than a political system, concluding it was an utopian and illusionary idea. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1995, Furet observed that the spread of this ideology far exceeded the reach of communist power structures. Despite losing legitimacy with the dissolution of centralized socialist regimes like the USSR, communism persists as a set of beliefs in various countries including China, Russia, North Korea, and Cuba. The author argues that what remains is not just the communist state apparatus but also its ideological underpinnings. Even societies that do not identify with traditional communist systems still harbor an atmosphere aligned more closely with utopian ideals than to the historical errors of communism. Igor Safarevic traced the roots of communism back to medieval heresies such as the Cathars, Lollards, Anabaptists, and participants in the English Revolution. According to Safarevic, Marxist-Leninist movements like those of Marx, Engels, and Vladimir Lenin viewed themselves as “secular religions,” imbued with eschatological tension similar to Christian beliefs. Today, these communist ideologies continue to manifest through contemporary social movements advocating for ecological awareness, gender equality, pacifism, anti-colonialism, and a rejection of Western values.
Key Topics
Leone XIV, Sinodalism, Catholic Church
