I believe in history
How does believing in history make Nan identifiable as a communist?
shareI am not sure I have this right, but perhaps Nan? (I haven't seen this film in awhile) is referring to the exploitation of workers that has occurred throughout human history by men of power.
Communism is a new approach that had a answer to the capitalist pigs.
From 1950-1980 much of the world was not sure which system, communism or capitalism was superior.
Could be. There just seems to be a lot missing from the exchange, which went something like this:
Leamas: Oh? What do you believe in?
Nan: Me? History, partly. Partly freedom. Partly.
Leamas: Oh, Nan. Don't tell me you're a, you're a bloody communist.
"History" and "freedom" just seem to be such vague, innocuous references to immediately infer that somebody is a communist. Maybe those expressions were much more strongly associated with communist rhetoric of the day.