05-11-2010, 11:40 AM
Today 5th November 2010 marks the 90th birthday of the Australian Communist party.
Regardless of your political leanings there is no doubt the movement was once huge and hundreds of great Australians were part of it including artists and writers such as Frank Hardy. The New Theatre movement was very strong. I was happy to work with Dorothy Thompson one of Melbourne's most loyal members. Dot frequently went to the USSR and although she was quite different to me politically as she was a Stalinist she was a brilliant theatre director. A difficult obstinate but incredibly astute intellectual.
The Australian Communist party split mainly because of Stalin who most rejected for obvious reasons.
While the Communist party is over the left is alive and well.
In my opinion Communism was a great idea but generally unworkable. Socialism however has sound elements of practicality.
It is an old saying... if you are young and do do not belong to the left you have no heart but if you are older and have not moved to the right you have no sense.
Well not sure but my own left leanings are much more Green and moderate these days but the grand old dream is still alive in many old timers.
Regardless of your political leanings there is no doubt the movement was once huge and hundreds of great Australians were part of it including artists and writers such as Frank Hardy. The New Theatre movement was very strong. I was happy to work with Dorothy Thompson one of Melbourne's most loyal members. Dot frequently went to the USSR and although she was quite different to me politically as she was a Stalinist she was a brilliant theatre director. A difficult obstinate but incredibly astute intellectual.
The Australian Communist party split mainly because of Stalin who most rejected for obvious reasons.
While the Communist party is over the left is alive and well.
In my opinion Communism was a great idea but generally unworkable. Socialism however has sound elements of practicality.
It is an old saying... if you are young and do do not belong to the left you have no heart but if you are older and have not moved to the right you have no sense.
Well not sure but my own left leanings are much more Green and moderate these days but the grand old dream is still alive in many old timers.