The Intersection of Communism and the Fountain Pen: A Story of Ideology and Expression

Over time, many things have been said and thought about the fountain pen. It has been praised as a symbol of intellect and one of expression; in fact it has often been an emblem of sophistication. Both communism and the fountain pen are ideologies, human in some contexts and societal change. But in more important respects-through the variously conceived activities of literature--they can't be separated. Communism, as an ideology, supports common ownership of resources, and the elimination of class distinctions. It originated in response to the perpetuation of socio-economic inequalities by capitalist society. To sum up, communism is ultimately to empower the working class and establish a society in which people are equal among themselves, with one another. In this sense, the fountain pen was to be used as a means of communication and advocacy; it allowed individuals to present and propagate communist ideals.

In publishing ideas during the early 20th century, the fountain pen played a crucial role. A collection of communist literature and propaganda. Middle-class writers, activists and intellectuals utilized this weapon in writing manifestos, pamphlets and revolutionary treatises. What Lenin referred to as “What Is to Be Done?” and Mao Tse-tung’s “Little Red Book,” circulated like handwritten notes on paper: a kind of magic sentence-making machine that could be released here, there, anywhere—in countless variations depending on the reader’s own thoughts and desires. Another medium for communicating the thoughts of Marx, Engels and other communist ideologues was the fountain pen.

Moreover, the act of writing with a fountain pen embodies the values of deliberation and introspection—qualities essential for ideological reflection and critique. Communist thinkers often went into deep, determinist writings with the fountain pen to express their visions of society. Whether scribbled in comatose meetings or subterranean papers, these loads of communist writings bore displeased resignation coupled with the hidden hope that society might be changed.

- Vipin Narayanan Thampi