“certain teachers, instead: of explaining in a simple and clear manner the minimum of fundamental questions that a member or candidate of the Party should understand, begin their explanation of the nature of the capitalist system with a ‘profound’ analysis of commodity fetishism. Apparently, these worthy teachers thought that they were ‘no worse than Marx’. If Marx commenced his Capital with commodity fetishism, why should not they start their lessons with commodity fetishism? [Laughter.] Of course, one should know what commodity fetishism is; this, too, is important and very good; but it is no use starting with that. At all events, it is to be hoped that our purging commissions will not, in testing the knowledge of the Party members, start with commodity fetishism. [Laughter.]” SocialismCommunismUssrPurges Book:Purging the Party: Speech Delivered at a Meeting of the Active Party Members, Moscow, May 22, 1933 Source: Purging the Party: Speech Delivered at a Meeting of the Active Party Members, Moscow, May 22, 1933