The underdeveloped areas of the world are becoming the crucial battleground between Communism and freedom. What types of people in these areas are attracted to Communism? What is their understanding of the movement, and what do they hope to get out of it? What does it mean to them to join the Party, and why do they leave?
In seeking answers to such questions, the author conducted detailed interviews with former members of the Malayan Communist Party, a pragmatic, ambitious group of Chinese Malayans. Their answers reveal important differences between Eastern and Western Communism, and suggest findings that are significant in meeting the threat of Communism not only in Malaya but in the rest of Asia. The author has used the methods of social science in interpreting his material and has concentrated on the problem of political behavior, about which less is known than of the military struggle.
Originally published in 1950.
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