Americans find Communism hard to understand, and yet it is vitally important that they do. Young people, in particular, have little to read on this form of government. Now Gerald W. Johnson, in a much-needed book, writes of the origins of Communism and how it has evolved over the years since Karl Marx wrote 'Capital'. With wisdom and clarity, Mr. Johnson colorfully describes the Russian Revolution and the chaos that followed it. He examines the characters of the men who finally got the government working -- Lenin and Trotsky -- and the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. "If Marxism was the root of the system, and Leninism its flower," writes Mr Johnson, "Stalinism was its fruit." Under Nikita Khrushchev, Communism is entering still another phase, although the Russian love of secrecy makes it as hard to understand as ever. Readers will gain new insights from this penetrating analysis of Communism. They will also be moved by the author's eloquent statement of his belief in freedom of mind and what every American must do to defend it. -- Jacket description.