Repercussions in Paris

We were accustomed to seeing the Communists and their friends in every country of the world quickly forget the “errors,” even the “crimes,” of the Soviet Union, attributing them sometimes to “capitalist encirclement,” sometimes to the “cult of personality.” But it is very likely that things will be different this time, and that the “error” or “crime” of 1968 will mark the beginning of a profound evolution in the history of world Communism. This likelihood is demonstrated by the fact that a Communist party such as the French PC (Parti Communiste Frangais), which was so obstinately faithful to Moscow through all the historic vicissitudes of these last years, should be troubled to the extent it is today. The PC is certainly not unanimous in its disapproval of Moscow, and a sizable fraction of its apparat is leaning toward unreserved approbation of the occupation of Prague. But the diversity of opinions which has been expressed by the Party or its usual spokesmen shows that its unity is only a facade.

The French PC, already deeply shaken by the events of last May and the grave defeat it suffered in the elections, today finds itself in the most difficult...