Reds

<p><b><i>Reds </i>tells the global history of communism, going beyond the turmoil of the 20th century, and exploring communist ideas, movements, and regimes. </b>It starts in antiquity, not in 1917. It centres not just on the obvious leaders and thinkers but asks how the idealism of millions of working-class activists could lead to their acquiescence in mass murder, repression and social atomisation. A fact whose legacy - unfortunately - is alive and kicking in both Russia and China today. <br><br>Paul Mason's startling new book will argue that the desire to live without hierarchy and property is an impulse deeply rooted in our human nature. <i>Reds</i> traces the history of communist ideas through revolts in the ancient and medieval worlds, and chronicles the rise of 19th century anti-capitalist movements. Using first hand testimonies of both the perpetrators and the victims, Mason gives a new and terrifying account of how the 20th century experiment in communism turned into a totalitarian nightmare. But, he argues, the story is not over. Western democracies are stagnant and lacking self-belief. Looming climate chaos demands radical economic answers. Millions of people in the global south see China's offer of authoritarian, state-led development model as a viable alternative. And among the Western left, new forms of techno-egalitarianism vie with right-wing libertarianism in the battle over the digital future.<br><br><i>Reds </i>will be a major analysis as we head into a dangerous new world order where China and Russia threaten major change to the world's democracies.</p>