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POWER THROUGH SUBVERSION

NCJ Number
31687
Author(s)
L W BEILENSON
Date Published
1972
Length
310 pages
Annotation
A HISTORY OF THE STRATEGIES USED IN THE OVERTHROW OF GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INTERNAL DISSIDENTS AND THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WHICH HAVE HELPED THEM.
Abstract
THE GLOBAL SUBVERSION PRACTICED BY BOTH COMMUNIST RUSSIA AND CHINA FOLLOW WHAT THE AUTHOR CALLS THE LENIN ADAPTATION. HE SHOWS THAT LENIN TOOK OVER BODILY THE SUBVERSIVE TACTICS AND IN PART THE SUBVERSIVE STRATEGY OF A LONG LINE OF POWER PREDECESSORS, BUT GREATLY IMPROVED THE LONG-RANGE EFFICACY OF TRADITIONAL PRACTICES. THE AUTHOR WIDENS HIS STORY BY INCLUDING INFLUENCING SUBVERSIONS - THE SWAYING OF GOVERNMENTS RATHER THAN OVERTHROWING THEM. IN HIS FINAL CHAPTER, THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES WHETHER THE UNITED STATES SHOULD TRY TO HELP NATIVE DISSIDENTS OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENTS OF COMMUNISTRULED COUNTRIES, AND IF SO, HOW. SINCE WORLD WAR II, AS THE AUTHOR POINTS OUT, THE UNITED STATES HAS EMPLOYED EXTERNAL SUBVERSION AS A WEAPON IN LATIN AMERICA AND ASIA. HE CONTENDS HOWEVER, THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING SUBVERSION WITHOUT REGARD TO LENIN'S CHANGES AND IN THE WRONG PLACES. IF, AFTER ALLOWING FOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AMERICAN AND COMMUNIST OBJECTIVES AND ETHICS, THE UNITED STATES HAD DEVISED AN AMERICAN ADAPTATION OF SUBVERSION, THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE SENT A SINGLE SOLDIER TO FIGHT IN VIET NAM AND YET WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTAIN OUR OBJECTIVES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)

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