Resources on Communism
for Young People
for Young People
Novels
1984, by George Orwell – a short, unforgettable novel, while not specifically about communism, will give you a good sense of what it would be like to live under a totalitarian government. Source of many descriptors used to describe totalitarian and communist regimes – ‘newspeak’ (controlled language), Ministry of Truth (propaganda), and learning to love ‘Big Brother’ (all-powerful central government which intrudes on your life at every turn and tells you what to think).
Animal Farm, by George Orwell – short, easy-to-read novel that describes the futility of egalitarian revolutions because, as you find out at the end, some animals ‘are more equal than others.’ Written with Joseph Stalin and communism in mind (Orwell, Collected Essays, Vol. 3 – p. 359). (also a 1954 animated movie on DVD).
We the Living, by Ayn Rand - autobiographical novel paints a chilling picture of life in the Soviet Union. The shattering climax drives home the point about individualism versus collectivism like nothing else you’ve ever seen. (the movie – produced in Mussolini’s Italy – is good).
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn - revealed the Soviet Gulag prison system to the world for first time. (book review here)
Nonfiction
Communism: A History, by Richard Pipes - says it all in 150 pages. (table of contents and book review here)
First They Killed My Father, by Loung Ung – “One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed. Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.” (from the Amazon review) (soon to be a feature film from Angelina Jolie)
A Brief History of the Cold War, by Lee Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards Spalding - written for students. (table of contents and book review here)
Movies & Documentaries
The Lives of Others (rated R) – This political thriller depicts the inner struggle of an East German secret police (Stasi) agent who still has a flicker of humanity left. Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Picture. (Amazon review)
The Soviet Story - a documentary film compares Nazi and Communist propaganda. (in various places on YouTube – here’s one)
Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen - a futuristic film about an attempted communist takeover of America and the courageous response of American high school students. Something of a cult classic. (Amazon page)
Animal Farm
We the Living
First They Killed My Father
- see above
Curriculum and More for Educators
Communism: Its Ideology, Its History, and Its Legacy, by Paul Kengor, Lee Edwards, and Claire McCaffery Griffin – a high school curriculum developed by teachers using essays, student activities, and assessment tools to fill the knowledge gap about communism. Written with both social studies and common standards in mind, each of the nine lessons focuses on key individuals and events in the story of 20th century communism. What are the key tenets of Marxism-Leninism? Why did the Berlin Wall fall? These are among the questions taken up in a quest to understand the past and draw valuable lessons for the future. (order from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation)
Teaching About Communism, by CQ Researcher – traces the evolution of attitudes and approaches towards teaching about communism. On the Library of Congress website.
1984, by George Orwell – a short, unforgettable novel, while not specifically about communism, will give you a good sense of what it would be like to live under a totalitarian government. Source of many descriptors used to describe totalitarian and communist regimes – ‘newspeak’ (controlled language), Ministry of Truth (propaganda), and learning to love ‘Big Brother’ (all-powerful central government which intrudes on your life at every turn and tells you what to think).
Animal Farm, by George Orwell – short, easy-to-read novel that describes the futility of egalitarian revolutions because, as you find out at the end, some animals ‘are more equal than others.’ Written with Joseph Stalin and communism in mind (Orwell, Collected Essays, Vol. 3 – p. 359). (also a 1954 animated movie on DVD).
We the Living, by Ayn Rand - autobiographical novel paints a chilling picture of life in the Soviet Union. The shattering climax drives home the point about individualism versus collectivism like nothing else you’ve ever seen. (the movie – produced in Mussolini’s Italy – is good).
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn - revealed the Soviet Gulag prison system to the world for first time. (book review here)
Nonfiction
Communism: A History, by Richard Pipes - says it all in 150 pages. (table of contents and book review here)
First They Killed My Father, by Loung Ung – “One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed. Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.” (from the Amazon review) (soon to be a feature film from Angelina Jolie)
A Brief History of the Cold War, by Lee Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards Spalding - written for students. (table of contents and book review here)
Movies & Documentaries
The Lives of Others (rated R) – This political thriller depicts the inner struggle of an East German secret police (Stasi) agent who still has a flicker of humanity left. Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Picture. (Amazon review)
The Soviet Story - a documentary film compares Nazi and Communist propaganda. (in various places on YouTube – here’s one)
Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen - a futuristic film about an attempted communist takeover of America and the courageous response of American high school students. Something of a cult classic. (Amazon page)
Animal Farm
We the Living
First They Killed My Father
- see above
Curriculum and More for Educators
Communism: Its Ideology, Its History, and Its Legacy, by Paul Kengor, Lee Edwards, and Claire McCaffery Griffin – a high school curriculum developed by teachers using essays, student activities, and assessment tools to fill the knowledge gap about communism. Written with both social studies and common standards in mind, each of the nine lessons focuses on key individuals and events in the story of 20th century communism. What are the key tenets of Marxism-Leninism? Why did the Berlin Wall fall? These are among the questions taken up in a quest to understand the past and draw valuable lessons for the future. (order from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation)
Teaching About Communism, by CQ Researcher – traces the evolution of attitudes and approaches towards teaching about communism. On the Library of Congress website.