COMMUNISM:THEORY & PRACTICE

EUROPE

Ukraine-Crimea Peninsula

Eastern Europe/Russia

Central Asia

KARL MARX•German Philosopher -originated idea of communism- economic system where citizens own property together and everyone shares the wealth -hated capitalism = a few rich people and many poor people

"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”

KARL MARXKARL MARXKarl Marx studied law and philosophy, and was initially influenced by the works of G. W. F. Hegel. Marx rejected the idealism of Hegel and developed a more materialistic theory of history as science, ultimately predicting that the triumph of the working class was inevitable.

With his collaborator Friedrich Engels, MARX PUBLISHED THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO IN 1848.

His work greatly influenced modern socialism, and he is considered one of the founders of economic history and sociology.

1818-1883, German1818-1883, German

REVOLUTION

Russian revoluition

COMMUNISM

Marx's theories were put into action in Russia by revolutionary V.I. Lenin...

Marx is no relation to the comedian Groucho Marx.

UNDER SOVIET RULE• Adopted Communism

• Set Up a Command

Economy -to force citizens to accept

communism

-took control of EVERYTHING

-made ALL economic decisions

The exact implementation of Communism varied The exact implementation of Communism varied slightly from county to country, but followed slightly from county to country, but followed the general thrust. Here are the 10 measures the general thrust. Here are the 10 measures the proletariat will use to bring about the full the proletariat will use to bring about the full realization of the communist utopian dream, realization of the communist utopian dream, once they have the political power:once they have the political power:

THE 10 MEASURES OF THE 10 MEASURES OF COMMUNISMCOMMUNISM

1.1.Abolition of private property in landAbolition of private property in land (NO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP – (NO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP –

GOVERNMENT OWNS ALL LAND, GOVERNMENT OWNS ALL LAND, STORES, FACTORIES, ETC.)STORES, FACTORIES, ETC.). .

2.2.A heavy progressive income taxA heavy progressive income tax (TAXES WEALTHY MORE THAN POOR). (TAXES WEALTHY MORE THAN POOR).

3.3.Abolition of all rights of Abolition of all rights of inheritanceinheritance (WHEN YOUR (WHEN YOUR SOMEONE DIES THEY SOMEONE DIES THEY DON’T CHOOSE WHO GETS DON’T CHOOSE WHO GETS MONEY & PROPERTY – MONEY & PROPERTY – THAT GOES TO THE THAT GOES TO THE GOVERNMENT). GOVERNMENT).

4.4.Confiscation of property of Confiscation of property of emigrants and rebelsemigrants and rebels (ANYONE WHO DIDN’T (ANYONE WHO DIDN’T AGREE WITH THEM GOT AGREE WITH THEM GOT WHAT THEY OWNED GIVEN WHAT THEY OWNED GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT).TO THE GOVERNMENT).

5.5.Centralization of credit in the Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive capital and an exclusive monopolymonopoly (GOVERNMENT (GOVERNMENT CONTROLS ALL THE CONTROLS ALL THE MONEY, BUSINESS & MONEY, BUSINESS & TRADE).TRADE).

6.6.Centralization of the Centralization of the means of communication means of communication and transport in the hands and transport in the hands of the stateof the state (GOVERNMENT (GOVERNMENT RUNS ALL MEDIA & RUNS ALL MEDIA & TRANSPORTATION)TRANSPORTATION)

7.7.Extension of factories and Extension of factories and instruments of production instruments of production owned by the state;owned by the state; The The bringing into cultivation of bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the waste lands, and the improvement of the soil improvement of the soil generally in accordance with generally in accordance with a common plana common plan. . (GOVERNMENTS SAYS (GOVERNMENTS SAYS WHAT TO MAKE AND WHAT TO MAKE AND HOW MUCH).HOW MUCH).

8.8.Equal obligation of all Equal obligation of all to work.to work. Establishment Establishment of industrial armies, of industrial armies, especially for agriculture especially for agriculture (EVERYBODY HAS TO (EVERYBODY HAS TO WORK, ESPECIALLY IN WORK, ESPECIALLY IN FACTORIES & FARMS).FACTORIES & FARMS).

9.9.Combination of Combination of agriculture with agriculture with manufacturing manufacturing industries; Gradual industries; Gradual abolition of all the abolition of all the distinction between town distinction between town and country by a more and country by a more equable distribution of equable distribution of the populace over the the populace over the country.country. (CITY & (CITY & COUNTRY ARE EQUAL, COUNTRY ARE EQUAL, POPULATION IS POPULATION IS SPREAD OUT)SPREAD OUT)

10.FREE 10.FREE EDUCATION FOR EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN ALL CHILDREN IN PUBLIC PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS. OUTLAW CHILD OUTLAW CHILD LABOR IN LABOR IN FACTORIES, IN FACTORIES, IN ITS PRESENT ITS PRESENT FORM. FORM. COMBINATION OF COMBINATION OF EDUCATION WITH EDUCATION WITH INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, ETC. ETC.

JOSEPH STALINJOSEPH STALIN

Because communism Because communism is nearly opposite of is nearly opposite of all of the values all of the values Americans believe in Americans believe in (faith, hard work, (faith, hard work, prosperity, etc.) our prosperity, etc.) our country has always country has always been opposed to been opposed to communism. After communism. After WWII, the rise of WWII, the rise of power of the Soviet power of the Soviet Union and China Union and China made Americans made Americans more fearful that more fearful that their system would their system would try to take over ours, try to take over ours, and this fueled the and this fueled the Cold War even more.Cold War even more.

Soviet military withdrawal from Soviet military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1988Afghanistan in 1988

During the During the height of height of the Cold the Cold WarWar

NowNow

Why does Communism fail?

Lacks creativity>>>

Forced collectivization>>>>

5 YEAR PLANS• Determined In Advance

What to Make & How Much

• Workers Paid If They

Met Quota Or Not

• Resulted In Shortages /

Delays In All Sectors

PRODUCTION• Focused On Defense &

Industry-due to Cold War

• Produced Few Consumer

Goods-shortages in food, clothing

& housing

-long lines

• A Disaster

Failures continued

• Lacks incentives>>

Failures continued

• Little/no rights>>>

• Human rights violations/mass murder in cases>>

COMMUNISM IN THE 20TH CENTURY

• POL POT-CAMBODIA

• MAO-CHINA

• ESTIMATES OF 85-100 MILLION KILLED IN COMMUNIST COUNTRIES

Economic failure

• Economy can’t grow and prosper on just Govt spending

FAILURES OF COMMUNISM

• POLITICAL REPRESSION

• LACK FREEDOM

• ENVIRONMENTAL

• IMPERIALISM

• SUPPORT TERRORISM

• ECONOMIC

AFTER THE SOVIET COLLAPSE

• Became a Democracy

• Changed to Market

Economy (Capitalism)

• Privatized Businesses-opened to foreign

investments too

DIFFICULTIES• Happened Overnight

-no time to learn & adjust

• No Experience With

Business/Economics

• Total Collapse of

Economy in 1989