Communist Theories on Confiscation and Expropriation. Critical Comments

Abstract

The Communist-led2 Association Internationale des Juristes Democrates (AIJD) has devoted two congresses (Brussels, 19563 and Rome, 19574) to the study of the international law of confiscation and expropriation.5 Apart from some articles by Katzarov,0 proceedings of these congresses are the only studies in any Western language7 which permit some insight into Communist views on this vital problem of EastWest relations. Although, in the name of co-existence,8 care was taken to have the Western approach to this problem also presented to the participants,9 the reports of the other lecturers are so much imbued by their belief in the correctness of Communist doctrine that they not only completely fail to conceive that possibly other points of view could also be held outside the Communist fold, but they even fail to accept facts as facts. It is the modest hope of the author in this article to dispel some of these factual misunderstandings.