x66 HUMAN LIFE IN RUSSIA
tions of the communique published in connection with the
festivities and speeches on the occasion of M. Laval's visit to
Moscow, roundly declared: "The world revolution is and
remains the aim of Communism."
I have been compelled to dwell at length upon the ideology
and the aims of the Soviet regime, because only a clear under-
standing of these will enable us to see why recent Russian
developments could not have been other than they were.
Moscow's, or rather Stalin's, ideology and aims inevitably
led to the present Russian economic policy as described
in my first chapter. Just as inevitably this policy led to
convulsions in various districts, which in turn compelled
the regime, if it wished to preserve its existence, to begin
a ruthless war against all its enemies, including those in its
own camp.
Mr. Muggeridge has admirably insisted on the inevitability
of the struggle which Moscow is to-day compelled to carry on
in various directions. He finds that what he calls the modern
forced labour in the grain fields of the south and the forests
of the north is not due to the evil intentions of a few individuals,
but is an unavoidable consequence of Russian ideology when
translated into action. The dictatorship of the proletariat led
to the Communist Party; the latter to that of the political
bureau, and this in turn to the dictatorship of Stalin and the
ideas which possess him. According to Mr. Muggeridge, these
guiding notions can be realized only if embodied in the
life of the entire population. But the majority resists,
whence the necessity of subjugating it by force. The atmo-
sphere in which this struggle between the champions of the
guiding idea and the peasantry is carried on is described by
Mr, Muggeridge as fear of force, fear of the loss of the
bread ration, fear of being expelled from one's domicile^ fear
of denunciation to the police. Tyranny and fear dominate
everything.
la Sosnovsky's letter of recantation, quoted earlier^ he