Ps 13 page

KOESTLER

Introduction

1. Short historical background sketch

I/. Russian Revolution

A. what was the significance of the Russian revolution

1. given the context of the World War that I mentioned last time

B. Lenin -- dies 1924

C. NEP until 1927

D. Politics of succession

1. Five year plan -- a cultural transformation of Soviet society

2. elimination of Trotsky

3. elimination of Bukharin on right

4. elimination of Zionoview in 1934

5. Stalin alone

E. point not to worry about the facts of this particular matter but about the kind of dilemma they posed in the World

F. phrase the matter differently

1. what did the winners think they were doing

2. Koestler -- who

G. When was there Darkness at Noon

H. Why are there three hearings

1. R is a major figure in revolution

II. SUMMARY

Koestler is an excommunist writing this

A. the context of the forced collectivization and the purges

B. First- Rubashov's situation is phrased as one in which he is

found guilty of having betrayed the country simply because of what happened- Herr v Z episode on p. 175.

1. not making this up

2. When Rubashov argues to Gletkin that he acted

according to his conscience, Gletkin quotes his own writings to him: p. 189

C. Second, the Stalinist perspective is presented as one in which one is either for or against it

1. us and them

2. Koestler sees political action as like member ship

in a Church

D. Koestler trying to come to grips wit this problem-.

1. can one justify the use of violence in the name of future good -- this is the problem of acting for another -- for the future good of the race.

III. He shows us that we can -- some did -- use the Party or the Church as an excuse of r avoiding responsibility for the choice that one makes

IV. But he does not show us that the claim of the authentic moral self -- the retreat of the moral ego -- is also an excuse.