Murti-Bing regime, stability at the expense of freedom

Résumé du document

Even in the free world, the Communist totalitarian society put in place by the Bolsheviks was long considered as a viable option. As shown by the Communist success in the free elections held in Czechoslovakia in 1948, the Stalinist system appealed to members of the free civilization, and not only to proletarians. In Captive Mind Czeslaw Milosz depicts the interests that educated people find in the Stalinist "political formula" through a metaphorical drug, the Murti-Bing pill.

However, he uses arguments in favor of the pill to express a no to subtle criticism of totalitarian systems. Milosz implies that philosophers, even though they gain consideration, end up disapproving of the Murti-Bing system, because it controls the expression of their thoughts. Philosophers were faced with the disappointing fact that, in any society, the freedom of expression diminishes as the power increases. However, the ability to express the limits of a system gives the hope for a better future.

Extraits

[...] This is why the society “creates social and political conditions in which a man ceases to think and write otherwise than as necessary.” (Milosz, 12) In the Stalinist system, there is no choice but to agree with his political formula. Thus, even the powerless suffer from this loss of freedom. The powerless as well as the powerful suffer from the lack of freedom in the Murti-Bing regime, because the ability to express the possibility of a different society allows the hope for a better future. The propaganda and the “threats against the future career” (Milosz, 13) on anyone who defies the Murti-Bing ideology are attempts to suppress different philosophies. [...]

[...] By nature, human beings incessantly desire more than what they have, either for themselves, or for some one else. The quality of life of the Western world increased consistently during the industrial revolution and ever since. Yet, requests for more goods, for less effort never stopped, and new are persistently created. The history of the human being could be summarized as an attempt to enhance his condition of living. Milosz uses the Murti-Bing pill as a metaphor of the Stalinist political formula. [...]

[...] But they believe most of what they proclaim about the sacred Center, and that is unforgivable.” (Milosz, 20) Thus, even though they still have the possibilities to think about a different society, it is not enough to satisfy them. If the possibilities of a different society explored in one's mind cannot be expressed, they cannot be implemented. The pill users realize it. Therefore, as a result of the censorship of media and press, citizens of the Murti-Bing society have no possibility to hope for a better world. It could be argued that if the Murti-Bing pill system reached a state in which there could be no better world, there would be no need to express different opinion. [...]

[...] People using the Murti-Bing pill in Milosz's book represent the people joining the communist party under the Stalinist regime. The old represents any type of memory undermining the regime. Rather than erasing the opposing ideas by making their owner take a pill, Stalin eradicates the old by use of force. However, such memories persist in the minds of the people left behind. Propaganda and censorship are necessary in order to maintain a totalitarian system. The Murti-Bing pill conveys a philosophy of life, which is put to practice by those in power. [...]

[...] However, as soon as the greater good is considered, as soon as the well being of those that disapprove of the regime is taken into consideration, Milosz, harshly and rightfully, criticizes Stalin's achievement. The greater good cannot be achieved without taking into consideration the opinion of those it is being achieved for. Works Cited Desportes-Guilloux, Christophe. "Leçon De Morale : Le PréSident a Dit "Casse Toi Alors Pauvre Con"" Monorleans Feb.-Mar May "Joseph Stalin." Wikiquote Apr.-May May Milosz, Czeslaw. The Captive Mind. New York: Vintage International, 1981. [...]