World: THE REACTION: DISMAY AND DISGUST

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When the Russian tanks rumbled in, that hope evaporated. For the first time since its founding in 1920, the French Communist Party denounced the Soviet line. "The French Party expresses its surprise and reprobation," bannered L'Humanité, the Paris Communist paper. The Italian Communist Party, which won more than a quarter of the votes in the last national elections, expressed "grave dissent" with the Russians. In fact, every major Communist party in Western Europe turned its back on Moscow. That may turn out to be a very wise move. If they retain their independence, the Communist parties in Western Europe might finally have a chance to develop into truly national parties. As such, they might have more appeal to a broader spectrum of voters than they have had in the past, when they owed their ultimate allegiance to a foreign power. What they would have to offer the voters in the way of a program that goes beyond antiquated Marxism is another matter.