Eric and I have been mates for many years. I admire him for a number of reasons. First that I, like him remained a member of the Communist Party when others were fleeing, believing that the monsters and psychopaths who had temporarily taken over the Party were less important than the principles. Secondly Eric is the only British person who, from the day that von Hindenburg allowed Hitler to become Fϋhrer in 1933 against the votes of working people, to the day that Hitler perished by his own hand, Eric Hobsbawm fought personally against his tyranny. Thirdly that Eric as both Communist and historian has demonstrated that modern Communism, arising first in South America, but also developing in India, with the hope that China might yet return to Marxist principles, and world capitalism with its double contradiction of developing through boom and bust, and its unsustainable levels of vast riches on the one hand and mass starvation on the other must be replaced with Socialism and eventually Communism.
So I telephoned Eric this morning to ask if he had anything to say on the Conference, where he was so well received. He astonished me by saying that it was in Brazil and surprised me even further by saying that he a nonegarian had attended the Conference. He then promised me an email which arrived within a couple of hours explaining the situation.
He travelled to Brazil at various times between 1962 and the end of the century. He thinks he had the advantage of his books being translated there during the period of military rule after 1964 and published mostly by progressive publishers. So they could be read by students who were massively of the left. His books sell there more than any other place in the world. Having written about jazz and the great Brazilian bandits may have helped. He met Lula long before he became president of Brazil and still carries on his key ring the plaque of the PT (Workers’ Party) which Lula gave him. The only other light he can throw on Brazil, Eric modestly says, is that Oscar Niemeyer told him that in designing the capital city of Brasilia he was inspired by Engels. Talking of old Communists (I had mentioned to him Edward Upward who is 103 years old in September), Niemeyer is still alive, past 100 and recently remarried!. So here is a ready- made project, to find the oldest Communist in the world.
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