Belief in a Cause

The underlying theme of the book is belief in a cause. For Chambers, the first cause he believed in is Communism. He looks at a world that is in trouble, a world that is heading for a second world war. He views the world's condition as a crisis of history and finds the solution to the crisis in Communism. Belonging to the Party requires submission to discipline and following the orders of the Party. Working in the underground apparatus requires the living of a secret life and adherence to even more rigid disciplines. For many, it means betrayal of the government they have sworn allegiance to and work for. All of this is done on the strength of their conviction in their belief that Communism is the answer to the crisis in history.

Communism was the darling of many students, intellectuals and well-to-do's. Even though...