The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism

An observer records impressions from a visit to revolutionary Russia, combining reportage with political and philosophical analysis. He praises the revolutionary attempt to realize communal ownership while cautioning that its methods are crude, dogmatic, and risk betraying their ideals. He outlines possible outcomes—defeat, victory that abandons principles, or destructive conflict—and argues that militant certainty and doctrinaire materialism threaten scientific skepticism and free inquiry. He urges learning hard lessons to achieve a more humane transition that preserves valuable aspects of civilization, and includes discussion of art and education drawn from on-the-ground encounters with key figures and institutions.