The Russian Revolution

[p.falk]

Does anyone know the prominent figure who visited Russia after the revolution who wrote how what he saw disgusted him and made him question his previously held views on socialism and communism.

I think it was after the Webbs made their visit and came back with glowing tales of peace on earth.

[Doom]

That is a very vague description that could apply to many different people.

[p.falk]

I wish I had more info...

Some Western intellectual who was on the side of the Webbs initially - goes to see the new happenings in Russia and comes away nowhere near as exuberant and cheerful as the Webbs and I believe even called them out in the press as outright lying or at least sacrificing their values in order to keep cheerleading communism.

[anawim]

I wish I had more info...

Some Western intellectual who was on the side of the Webbs initially - goes to see the new happenings in Russia and comes away nowhere near as exuberant and cheerful as the Webbs and I believe even called them out in the press as outright lying or at least sacrificing their values in order to keep cheerleading communism.

Rose Wilder Lane? (daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder). I know that she supported communism until she visited Russia in the early 1920's, and came away with a completely different opinion. I don't know if she knew, or had a connection to, the Webbs, nor if she ever criticized them in the press.

[p.falk]

Thanks for the name. I'll look into this.

But there were definitely some charges made at the Webbs when this person came back.

[anawim]

She was a journalist and author. One of the places that she lived was San Francisco. Perhaps she wrote about her experiences while living ther.

[Highlander]

... the prominent figure who visited Russia after the revolution who wrote how what he saw disgusted him and made him question his previously held views on socialism and communism. ...

I assume you have a specific person in mind, but can't recall his name. Correct ... or no?

The only person I can come up with is Gareth Jones, a Welsh reporter, who blew the whistle on the Ukrainian famine (1933?). Not surprisingly, he was excoriated by the progressive, fellow traveling, pinko, if not outright Communist media of his time. Walter Duranty of the NYT, who won a Pulitzer Prize for being a lying liar who lied about not lying about the reality of Communism, was a fine example of such media. And nearly every other press luminary joined in throwing Jones under the bus.

Sort of like today.

BTW, last I heard, the NYT has yet to repudiate or return the Pulitzer. The Times has yet to wash its hands.

[p.falk]

I had never heard of him before. I see there’s a movie from 2020 about him. I’m going to watch this. Thanks for the suggestion.


I think the guy I’m trying to remember is Arthur Koestler.