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The Origin of Soviet Political Pathology*

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The totalitarianism that characterized Soviet society for half a century had its source in the philosophical premise of Marxism that economic and social history is based upon objective facts and that these facts are obvious matters. It follows that the group that is entitled to exercise political power consists of those who know what these facts are; but as disagreements arise within that group, knowledge of the truth must ultimately be lodged in one person, whose pro nouncements on any subject must then be accepted as correct. Conversely, the institutions of a free society rest on the belief that facts are elusive; uncertainty must therefore be tolerated.

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