Contributor(s): Dr David Priestland | Communism was one of the most powerful political and intellectual movements of the modern world, and its collapse in 1989 had an enormous impact on our views of international affairs and economics. David Priestland argues that we have found it difficult to understand Communism, and the lessons we have learnt have contributed to many recent policy failures, from the 'War on Terror' to extreme neo-liberal economic policies. He revisits the history of Communism, explaining the reasons for its rise and fall, and argues that we need to learn a new set of lessons if we are to avoid the mistakes of the past.