Where did Communism come from? Why was it so popular for so long, what was the Russian Revolution all about and why was it so different? Why was Communism popular in the West and hated in the East? Quoting extensively from the major protagonists in Communist history to illuminate the issues, Anastasia Sichkarenko's lively introduction is the perfect catalyst for understanding one of the most important socio-political ideas of the 20th century.