Marxist intellect

Reading the recent criticism of Bruce Crichton’s views (Letters, 14 November), I must observe that I’m little short of amazed at how anyone calling themself a person of intellect can remain in defence of Marxism on any 
pretext whatsoever.

The simple corollary of Marxism is that the freedom of the individual is per se less important than the diktat of “the state”. The perfect experiment in how that works out at a national level was conducted in Germany after the Second World War.

There, the world witnessed what happens if you were to take the same people from the same baseline, and develop one side under free market democracy, and the other under Marxism. The result was undeniable. After just 40 years one side grew nine times richer and more productive, and enjoyed freedoms of speech, of movement, of association and of conscience – and the other ended up so poor and oppressed they practically tore down the wall with their bare hands to end the farce of it.

Even now in those isolated madhouse states who still cling to it, collectivism still carries those same hallmarks of oppression, censorship and want.

In Venezuela the people can’t even get toilet paper. In Cuba, accessing the internet was a serious crime until very recently, and in North Korea deciding you want to leave your current job and do something you want for a living instead will still get you shot.

Mr Crichton’s critics ought to perhaps poke their heads out of their ivory towers and look at the real world. They might regard freedom and individuality as things to be despised or feared. Happily, almost every 
ordinary person feels the very opposite.

Chris Morrison

Langleeford Road

Newcastle upon Tyne