Communism Quote by William S. Burroughs
““...Communism, it's a reactive formation derived from capitalism. For this reason it's less flexible and has a lower survival potential. The days of laissez-faire capitalism are completely dead, and the assumptions of nineteenth-century Communism are equally dead, because they were based on laissez-faire capitalism. While there's hardly a trace of it left in capitalist countries, Communism is still reacting to something that's been dead for over a hundred years. And present-day Communism clings to this outmoded concepts, refusing to acknowledge the contradictions and failures of the Marxist system. Communism doesn't have any capacity to change. Capitalism is flexible, and it's changing all the time, and it's changed immeasurably. Communism apparently are still asserting that they are not changing, they're following the same Marxist principles. We don't have any principles. It's an advantage.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 1970s, discussing political ideology
The quote argues that communism is a rigid, outdated response to a dead form of capitalism, while capitalism continuously adapts and evolves.
In simple terms: Communism is stuck; capitalism keeps changing.
Key Takeaway
Adaptability is a strength.
Themes
politics
ideology
change
rigidity
historical context
Mood
critical
analytical
skeptical
Type
analytical
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- policy analysis
- social movements
- education curricula
- media commentary
Key Concepts
Marxism
laissez‑faire capitalism
systemic flexibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How does adaptability affect a system's longevity?
- Can rigid ideologies ever truly adapt?
A Different Perspective
Communism may have evolved in some contexts, so the claim of total inflexibility can be contested.
![“Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence.” quote by Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5c4/karl-marx-399_abolish_communism-is-for-us-not-a-state-of-affai_1114566.jpg)
