My Marx group is supposed to identify deviations from the 'communist stereotype' My only stereo type of communists comes a little from modern china, but more from post cold war sentiments of Russia. Films set during the cold war, films made during the cold war, and stories my parents tell are really the only views of Communism that i have, so they are extremely skewed.

The opening line of this reading section was one of the first things that went against my stereotype. 169: The communists, therefore, on the one hand, practically, the most advanced and resolute section of the working-class parties of every country, that section which pushes forward all others; on the other hand, theoretically, they have over the great mass of the proletariat the advantage of clearly understanding the line of march, the conditions and the ultimate general results of the proletariat movement.

I always saw (as my group discussed) the people of communism (not the leaders but the actual citizens) as being oppressesd and force-fed propaganda that promoted the communist way of life. I never really envisioned the people of the nation (proletariat) pushing for and marching for communism. Shows how naive i am huh?