The book was published 70 years ago, in 1953, but it reveals that leftism, at its heart, is not a political system but a psychological and spiritual one. Most leftists are desperately unhappy people who want to control others. As one reviewer of The Captive Mind put it: “Milosz points out that some of the most sensitive and intelligent people are actually sadistic bullies who look down on contented people who enjoy life. And want to create a ‘new man’ by force or coercion.” Bingo.

The Captive Mind remains such a unique work because it examines not only the insane bureaucracy of communism but why artists and writers embraced the evil system. Why would intelligent and sensitive creators buy this garbage? Some wanted career opportunities, some were drawn to extremism on both the Right and the Left, and many were just scared.