SECOND THOUGHTS ON THE U. S.S. R.
Andre Gide
T
HE PUBLICATION
of my book,
Return from the U.S.S.R.,
has
won me a good deal of abuse. Romain Rolland's part in it pained
me. Though I have never had much taste for his writing, his moral
character, at least, commands my respect. I was distressed because the
incident demonstrated how rare it is for a man to reach the end of
his life without having previously reached the limit of his powers.
The author of
Above the Battle,
would, I believe, pass a harsh judg-
ment on Rolland grown old. This eagle has made his nest, and there
he lies.
Besides the vituperation there were a few criticisms made in
good faith. It is to answer them that I am writing this book ....
A superficial survey, a hasty judgment, my book has been called.
As
if it were not precisely on first sight that the Soviet Union is so
attractive! As if one did not have to go deeper before catching sight of
the worst!
In the heart of the fruit the worm hides. But when I told you this
apple of yours was wormy, you accused me of poor vision, or of not
liking apples.
If I had been satisfied to be an admirer, you would certainly not
have reproached me with superficiality. Then, however, I would have
deserved it.
I have met your criticisms before. They are practically identical
with those provoked by my
Trip to the Congo
and my
Return from
the Chad.
Then I was found fault with on the grounds that:
( 1) the abuses to which I called attention were exceptional and
irrelevant;
(2) there was every reason for admiring the present regime, if
one would only compare it to the previous regime, to the
days before the conquest (I almost said, before the Revolu-
tion) ;
(3) everything I deplored had its profound
raison d' etre,
which
I had not been equipped to understand-was but a tem-
porary evil in anticipation of a greater good.
At that time, the criticisms, the attacks, the abuse all came from
the right; and you, adherents of the left, did not for a minute dream
of making a to-do about my confessed "incompetence." You were
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