Bolshevism Quote by Martin Amis
““The refusal of laughter to absent itself, in the Soviet case, has already been noted (and will be returned to). It seems that the Twenty Million will never command the sepulchral decorum of the Holocaust. This is not, or not only, a symptom of the general 'asymmetry of indulgence' (the phrase is Ferdinand Mount's). It would not be so unless something in the nature of Bolshevism permitted it to be so.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Money, Martin Amis, 1984
The quote argues that Soviet society cannot fully suppress humor, unlike the Holocaust, due to an inherent asymmetry of indulgence linked to Bolshevism.
In simple terms: Soviet humor persists because of cultural contradictions.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how political systems shape emotional expression.
Themes
culture
politics
humor
history
contradiction
Mood
reflective
critical
analytical
Type
observational
theoretical
When to use this quote
- political satire
- historical analysis
- media criticism
- public discourse
- academic study
Key Concepts
asymmetry of indulgence
Bolshevism
collective memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humor function under oppressive regimes?
- Can cultural traits be compared across distinct tragedies?
A Different Perspective
The comparison may oversimplify complex historical trauma.
![“At the start of the eighties, Tony and I [Tony Wakefield was one of the original members of DIJ] were involved in radical left politics and beneath it history students. In search of a political view for the future we came across National Bolshevism which is closely connected with the SA hierarchy…” quote by Douglas Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/094/douglas-pearce-69732_attention_at-the-start-of-the-eighties-tony-and-i_586907.jpg)
