Soviet Totalitarianism, the Captive Mind, and Uncivil Society

Featuring Congressional remarks and panel discussions dedicated to an examination of the connections between Marxist ideology and the political, economic, cultural, and foreign policy practices of the Soviet Union. Specifically, panels will discuss: how Marx’s ideas are reflected in the revolutionary practice of the Bolsheviks and the establishment of the Soviet Union; the failure of Marxism as economic theory and the collapse of the Soviet Union; Soviet totalitarianism’s war against the intermediary institutions and voluntary associations that compose civil society; and Soviet imperialism, the Captive Nations, and the Cold War. Featuring: Dr. F. Flagg Taylor, IV, Skidmore College (moderator) Hon. Dr. Paula J. Dobriansky, Harvard Kennedy School Hon. Dr. Martin Palouš, former Czech Ambassador to the United States Joshua Rubenstein, scholar of Soviet literature and politics Hon. Natan Sharansky, Israeli statesman and former Soviet political prisoner