A 1958 list of communist goals shows just how incredibly successful the Far Left has been

Conservative American writer Cleon Skousen's The Naked Communist was published in 1958 and rapidly became a bestseller. It contains a list of 45 “communist goals” compiled by the author, which was read into the Congressional Record in 1963 (full list here). Some of the items are too specific to their time to be relevant, or too specific to the US to mean much to a European reader, but, despite the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union, 32 items on Skousen’s list have either been wholly or mostly accomplished, thanks to the Gramscian takeover of Western institutions in the intervening half-century.

Here's the trimmed version of the list, using the original item numbers, with my comments in italics. Three dots indicate that I've shortened the item.

CURRENT COMMUNIST GOALS (1958)

1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. (1970s détente)

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. (A lot of progress on this one – but still a way to go)

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. (Food aid to North Korea, anyone? In fact, aid to any enemy of the West, in order to avoid suffering caused by the deranged policies of the recipient nation)

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. (Mission accomplished)

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind... (Work in progress, obviously, but, despite the organisation’s appalling record on conflict resolution and protecting the innocent, the majority of Western politicians still treat it with awe and reverence)

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. (Given that there’s a communist in the White House – mission accomplished!)

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. (And how!)

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. (Job done!)

18. Gain control of all student newspapers. (Are there any conservative student newspapers? Anywhere?)

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. (From blacks in the '60s through to last year's “Occupy” movement - not so much to protect communist-infiltrated organisations as to ensure a larger proportion of taxpayers' money ended up in their pockets)

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. (That’s a total wrap, guys!)

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. (Like falling off a log)

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." (I don’t know about the States, but this has certainly happened in Europe - by the way, did you know that the rubbishy Angel of the North statue is known locally as “The Gateshead Flasher”?)

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." (Oh boy oh boy!)

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. (Yup!)

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. (Like shooting fish in a barrel)

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." (Well, my goodness, aren’t they!)

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." (Mixed success in America, I suspect – almost total triumph in Europe, where "social justice" is the new religion)

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." (Too easy - unless, of course, the religion in question isn't Christian)

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. (Activist judges have been doing this successfully for decades)

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture"… (in spades)

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. (High five!)

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. (1975)

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. (Still there, despite unrelenting criticism from every direction and a decades-long attempt to destroy the reputation of J. Edgar Hoover)

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. (No idea about America, but this had pretty much happened in the UK before Mrs Thatcher came to power and started duffing up the vicious, communistic swine)

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. (Not really – although there do appear to be an awful lot of far-left billionaires in the States and a whole heap of Labour-supporting business leaders in the UK)

38. …Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat]. (Indeedy)

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. (As if that’s ever going to happen!)

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. (Yes, the state really does know best, because it employs so many left-wing “experts”)

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use “united force” to solve economic, political or social problems. (Really - this is getting too spooky)

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. (Well, given how peaceful and successful all former colonies have proved, I guess that’s a big no, then) 

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and individuals alike. (Well, I don’t know about the States, but UK law has been superseded by laws created by unelected EU bureaucrats in Brussells) 

By the way, if you're a left-winger and anyone brings up Skousen's list, just laugh and tell the idiot who mentioned him that Skousen was a Mormon, and therefore demonstrably insane: that means you won't have to waste time arguing about real issues.