The literary virtues of Communism

Mikhail Krutikov in the Forverts:

The time when Jews in America felt unsure of themselves is probably over, and it's no longer necessary to feel ashamed of realistic portrayals of past Jewish life. American Yiddish literature was possessed of many artistic virtues which are impossible to separate from its predominantly left-leaning worldview: sharp anti-capitalist criticism, naturalism, and universality.