Reds tells the global history of communism, going beyond the turmoil of the 20th century, and exploring communist ideas, movements, and regimes. It starts in antiquity, not in 1917. It centres not just on the obvious leaders and thinkers but asks how the idealism of millions of working-class activists could lead to their acquiescence in mass murder, repression and social atomisation. A fact whose legacy – unfortunately – is alive and kicking in both Russia and China today.

Paul Mason’s startling new book will argue that the desire to live without hierarchy and property is an impulse deeply rooted in our human nature. Reds traces the history of communist ideas through revolts in the ancient and medieval worlds, and chronicles the rise of 19th century anti-capitalist movements. Using first hand testimonies of both the perpetrators and the victims, Mason gives a new and terrifying account of how the 20th century experiment in communism turned into a totalitarian nightmare.

But, he argues, the story is not over. Western democracies are stagnant and lacking self-belief. Looming climate chaos demands radical economic answers. Millions of people in the global south see China’s offer of authoritarian, state-led development model as a viable alternative. And among the Western left, new forms of techno-egalitarianism vie with right-wing libertarianism in the battle over the digital future. Reds will be a major analysis as we head into a dangerous new world order where China and Russia threaten major change to the world's democracies.