One does wonder why there have been so many people of high intelligence that have gravitated to communism, as you would think, that they, of all people, would know better. It is one thing, entirely for those that are truly the underserved, the oppressed, the proletariat, to want to be a part of a new system that will level the playing field and that will then provide them with food, shelter, fairness, and an appreciation of labor, when these things have formally been in short supply, but for intellectuals, those that typically already have good jobs and privileges, a penchant for communism seems senseless.
Perhaps certain intellectuals gravitate to communism because they believe that there should be more sharing from one person to another, certainly that seems sensible and neighborly, and perhaps too that too often governments have been active supporters of the status quo. Then so too, perhaps intellectuals sell out their own nation for communism out of spite, out of hate, out of being bullied or the like, because they aren't properly appreciated, so that when the communists come knocking, they are eager to do a deal with a regime that will properly respect them and reward them for their traitorous activities.
Additionally, there are many that gravitate towards communism because they buy the line that only communism will allow society to live in a world in which income and labor will follow the mantra of: "from each according to ability, to each according to need". Of course, like those that are so caught up in a cult, that they ignore the warning signals, those that are caught up in the lure of a socialist society in which all are equal and none are exploited, apparently don't recognize that in order to achieve such a State, there will be arbiters of such, and these arbiters will have the power to destroy, punish, or kill those that do not obey or are not in lockstep with the program.
However, all said, the worst of the worst, are the intellectuals that sing the praises of communism while truly knowing better, and blithely ignore all the ills and crimes of the State against the people. These intellectuals do so for a lot of reasons with the primary reason being that as long as they are treated well, appreciated, and provided their safe haven that is all that really matters. Further to this point, the difference between esteemed scientists in America, for instance, as compared to an esteemed scientist in communism, is that in America that scientist makes a good salary but is in almost all cases far, far removed from real temporal power. However, in communism, scientists are well appreciated, especially when they create or discover things that will help the State in its oppression or control of the people, in one form or another, and thereby these scientists can become important functionaries of the State, with all the attendant benefits.
This signifies that the main reason why so many intellectuals desire communism is not because they are looking for some sort of socialistic paradise, although they may profess this, but in fact, are looking instead for a regime that will permit them to be one of the elites that dictates to the people, how they should or shouldn't behave, or what they shouldor shouldn't do, because these intellectuals believed that they are not held In high enough esteem, and that communism will finally give them both the platform as well as the respect that they deserve, which will then be utilized to keep the dregs of society in their place, for their own betterment as well as for the service to those that were born to be served.