Communism

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Communism

• I. Origins
• A. Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels
• 1. Founders of communism
• 2. Wrote The Communist Manifesto
• (Described how a communist government should
  operate).
• 3. Both Marx and Engels die before their dream
  of a communist state is realized.

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• B. Beliefs
• 1. In a pure communist regime, all property in
  owned by the government. No government in the
  world today owns all the property in a given
  country in.
• 2. Traditionally, communist governments are
  atheistic in nature. Communism emphasizes the
  duty of each citizen to the country or
  motherland.
• 3. All major economic decisions are made by the
  government.

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• II. Communism in Russia
• A. Important Events
• 1. In 1917, Vladimir Lenin led a revolution
  against the Czar (King) of Russia. This
  Bolshevik revolution eventually became the first
  communist state/government.
• 2. Property was confiscated from the wealthy and
  individuals from rural areas were placed on
  collective farms (Farms that produced a product
  that would then be distributed equally amongst
  the people of Russia).

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• 3. After Lenin died in 1923, Stalin took control
  and used totalitarian/authoritarian tactics to
  maintain control
• 4. Stalin wanted to modernize Russia and
  initiated a Five-year plan that starved many
  Russians, but helped industrialize the country.

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• 5. During the 1950s Russia played a major role
  in global politics often at the expense of its
  own economy. Russia was seen as a model
  communist state and supported other communist
  regimes like North Vietnam.
• 6. In 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan in order
  to set up a communist government. This decision
  eventually became a economic and political
  disaster for the Soviet Union/Russia.

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• B. The Fall of Communism in Russia
• 1. In the 1980s the following problems started
  to emerge in Communist Russia
• a. Fewer Consumer Goods and Services (People had
  money to spend, but nothing of value was offered.
  People started to demand Western goods).
• b. Resistance to New Ideas- Communist leaders
  refused to develop new technology that would
  compete with the West.

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• 2. Failure of State Farms (farms owned by the
  government) and Collective Farms( Farms leased
  out by the government)- Farmworkers had little
  incentive to work harder and be more productive.
• 3. Reform Efforts Fail-President Gorbachev
  wanted to give more freedom through his policy of
  perestroika (economic restructuring). Yet, his
  policies eventually led to the breakup of the
  Soviet Union.
• 4. Corruption- After democratic elections were
  held, mobsters and corrupt politicians bought
  government property at bargain basement prices.

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